Xiomara Laugart

This Cuban singer has enraptured audiences since she started interpreting the nueva trova repertoire back in Cuba at the beginning of her career. But Laugart didn't gain international recognition until she moved to the United States and joined up with the Grammy-nominated group Yerba Buena, whose 2003 release made them minor celebrities. With her spectacular pipes and that group's hipster-friendly vibe, the combination seemed a winning one, but 2005's Island Life failed to perform as well as its predecessor. Laugart's talents wouldn't languish long, however: she was asked to star in the stage musical Celia, based on the life and music of Celia Cruz, which she has helmed since it opened in 2007 to great critical acclaim.