March to the beat

Girls' Life, Feb, 2001 by Kara Wilde

We picked five female musicians we think could headline a Lilith Fair revival. But we won't call them divas.

KASEY CHAMBERS The Captain

You'd swear her hillbilly voice hails from Tennessee. Or North Carolina. Or Kentucky. Nope. Kasey's perky pipes are Australian. She started writing the album's songs when she was 15 (she's now 24). That explains its lyrical innocence and honesty As for the music--twangy guitar strummin', fine fiddlin' and roots-based percussion. This is bouncy upbeat bluegrass at its best. Even "We're All Gonna Die Someday" could inspire you to skip barefoot in the snow. But don't do it--frostbite bites!

GABRIELLE Rise

This British babe's breathy vocals are instantly refreshing. Songs like "Sunshine" and "When a Woman" light up your life--even on the dreariest, pull-the-shades-down day. The title track takes Gabrielle's lyrics and wraps them around Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" chorus. Gabrielle pegs her sound as "pop music with classical soul," and we say she's right on the money. She would have made a great Supreme.

NINA GORDON

One of the founding members of Veruca Salt, vocalist Nina Gordon is now solo. You've probably already heard the title song--it's getting a ton of airplay on alterna-pop stations. Nina's frank songwriting is something to pay attention to and can almost be attributed to Veruca's breakup. "As soon as I left Veruca Salt," Nina says, "I turned to my guitar and writing to rediscover myself."

Tonight and the Rest of My Life

PRU RENFRO Pru

You'll be groovin' to hip-hop beats right out the gate on "Prophecy of Flower." But then Pru surprises you with the rootsy, road-trippy "183 Miles." Then, she takes a twist into the burning funk sensation of "Candles." From there, the mood winds down to classic, smooth R&B on "Hazy Shade." The CD continues to take surprising turns and detours along the way. The one common thread throughout the songs is its unmistakable, sizzling soul.

NELLY FURTADO Whoa, Nelly!

Nelly plays guitar, ukelele, trombone. She sings in English, Portuguese and Hindi--beautifully, we might add. The 21-year-old Canadian crooner creates music that's uniquely her own--but not without its influences: "I like heartfelt, emotional music that's upbeat and hopeful--like Cornershop and Beck and Bob Marley."

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

SHOUT, SISTER, SHOUT! is a rockin' new book (McElderry, $18) with stories about some of the greatest female singers of the last century. It focuses on 10 women, one from each decade, who struggled and took charge of their lives to become the best they could in a manmade music industry. Read about Bessie Smith, Judy Garland, Joan Baez, Bette Midler and Madonna. This read has a little something for every music lover, whether you dig the blues or groove to pop. But, most of all, it's inspiring.