Eliza Doolittle

Don't let the cutesy, My Fair Lady-nodding name fool you. First of all, the name itself isn't a gimmick, it's a nickname the singer-songwriter born Eliza Caird got in school that stuck. And secondly, while she may make wacky, whimsical retro-pop with winking titles like "Roller Blades" and "Skinny Genes" (and may do it decked out in crayon-hued tights and preposterously short shorts), Ms. Doolittle is very serious about her candy-coated craft. Raised in north London by artist parents (dad's a director and playwright, mom's a musical theatre actress) and inspired by classic pop and soul, she began writing songs at age 12. By 16 she had a publishing deal, though her first album didn't drop for several years. But when her self-titled debut dropped in 2010 in the UK, it went platinum and spawned a string of hits.