6. Adele
Sultry-voiced Adele Adkins made her debut in 2008 with the album 19. The album was critically acclaimed and Adele would go on to win best new artist at the Grammys. Despite this, she didn't quite made a big splash in the media until her follow-up album 21 - including smash hit Someone Like You - was released three years later. Adele proved that heartbreak truly could bring forth great things as her songwriting and vocal skills brought on many accolades including numerous Grammys. She even received an Oscar for her original song Skyfall featured in the film of the same name. What makes Adele so pleasing to so many is truly her combination of brass vocals and heartfelt lyrics. While these are surely great qualities I find myself drawn in less by the commercialism surrounding songs like Someone Like You. Instead, I am intrigued by the harmony between Adele's vocals and the accompanying instrumentation. You needn't really hear the lyrics when a voice as powerful as Adele's is behind them. The story is told through the pain and passion of her voice, and that is what makes her one of the best female musicians to debut within the last five years. What Adele has planned for the future is currently unknown, but a voice like hers should not be kept hidden for too long.