Natacha Atlas

The 21st century sorely needs multi-cultural chanteuse Natacha Atlas, whose North African, Arabian, European, and American influences make her "global" in the most exciting sense of the word. Her solo work on Ayeshteni is a great place to start and includes a beguiling version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell On You."

Atlas is remarkable not just for her solo work, but also for her many collaborations. She has maintained a close association with former Public Image Limited bassist Jah Wobble (she appears on his 2002 album, Shout At the Devil), and she spent much of the '90s as the lead singer/belly dancer of TransGlobal Underground.

The multilingual Natacha Atlas' second solo album, Halim, was not released in the U.S., so it's worth diving into her cross-pollination of Arabic lyrics with all manner of musical traditions. Jaz Coleman, from post-punk legends Killing Joke, orchestrates "Engoom Wil Amar," while Egyptian Essam Rashad does the honors on "Ya Albi Ehda."

Two key descriptions are unavoidable when considering the firebrand, sexy genius of Natacha Atlas: "multi-cultural" and "prolific." Her voice soars and cascades between notes and octaves like no other, distinctly Arabic yet versatile enough to front melodies and beats from any country on earth. Atlas grew up in a Moroccan suburb of Brussels, was the first Arabic rock singer in the British Midlands, and bases herself in Washington, D.C. Seems she's got the whole world in her hands.