Ben Lee

This Australian teenager-turned-young adult songwriter certainly has a knack for keeping himself in the limelight. At the tender age of 14, Ben Lee and his band Noise Addict burst onto the indie rock scene, due in large part to hearty endorsements form the likes of Thurston Moore and Mike D. Thousands of adults suffering from post-adolescent stress disorder fell head over heels for the band's playful yet biting satires and tender perspectives on romance. Lee soon went solo, releasing Grandpa Would on Grand Royal in 1995. As he grew up before the stunned eyes of his fans, Lee began to experiment with new sounds in an attempt to distance himself from his cute, blinky-eyed reputation. His next two releases explored a more mature style, showing a bold artistic confidence less evident in his earlier, more playful work. Of course, a guest appearance by it-director Harmony Korine on Breathing Tornados (1999) as well as a heavily publicized relationship with Claire Danes doesn't exactly hurt one's ego.