Kathleen Edwards

Canadian Kathleen Edwards broke out in 2002 with a South by Southwest performance so strong it earned her a record deal; her first album, "Failer," came out in 2003. Back then, she had a throaty voice that could easily be mistaken for Lucinda Williams but over subsequent albums, Edwards lost the husk and her sound morphed into something more folky, yet awash in pop hooks. With he new album "Voyageur," Edwards comes into her own as a singer and a performer. Many of the songs are about failed romances and the quest for personal healing. Edwards is now dating Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, who co-produced Voyageur and provided backing vocals and musical assistance. Norah Jones, John Roderick, Bon Iver's Sean Carey and others all lend a hand, but "Voyageur" is very clearly Edwards' work.