Lady Rizo

Singer-sophisticate who was once a teenage punk rocker. "I love the idea of claiming something that's uncool and making it authentic." To that end, the NYC-based artist has earned a name for herself by transforming nightclub-pop into experiences that are more soulful, more theatrical. A provocateur with an electric wit, Lady Rizo is a vessel for the spirits of Edith Piaf and Freddie Mercury. The New York Times once referred to Lady Rizo (né Amelia Zirin-Brown) as "a formidable belter who can sustain phrases and notes even when sprawled on her back on a piano and scissoring her legs." They're not alone in that enthusiasm. Lady Rizo-who is releasing Indigo, her second album, on August 18-has collaborated with Moby, Reggie Watts, and Yo-Yo Ma, the latter on his Songs of Joy & Peace album, which won a Grammy Award.