Brandi Carlile

Seattle songsmith Brandi Carlile may not be a household name — yet — but titanic talents like T-Bone Burnett, Rick Rubin, Elton John, and the Indigo Girls have already been bowled over enough to work with her. And talent, like water, seeks its own level. Part of the reason the rising troubadour has stirred up so much attention is her absolute emotional commitment; you can hear it loud and clear in the raw, unfettered cry of her keening vocal on "The Story." It's in everything she does, from her heavy-hearted howl on the Lucinda Williams-meets-Melissa Etheridge roots-rocker "Dreams" to her heaven-sent harmonies with the Indigo Girls on the burnished, bittersweet ballad "Cannonball." And when Carlile tackles Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," daring to court comparison with such esteemed interpreters as Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright, you'd better believe she's got good reason to take that chance.