Chenoa

Chenoa didn't need to finish first to become a Spanish idol. In 2001, the cute singer performed against – and with – ex-boyfriend David Bisbal as a finalist on Operación Triunfo, Spain's version of "American Idol." Though she placed fourth (Bisbal came in second), she nonetheless used the spotlight to finally break into the music business.

Born María Laura Corradini Falomir, Chenoa and family moved from Argentina to Mallorca, Spain when she was eight years old. A few years later, she was fronting bands, including the jazz and R&B combo Koan Fusion. By the time she was in her 20's, Chenoa was spending her days studying to become a pre-school teacher and her nights singing in a local casino. She landed a spot on Operación Triunfo with a shaky version of Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly With His Song, parlaying her top five finish into a record deal with Vale Music.

A year later, Chenoa released her eponymous debut. Tracks like the europop Atrévete, the bubbly Cuando Tú Vas and the bittersweet Yo Te Daré became summer anthems throughout Spain. In 2003, she dropped a live covers album titled Mis Canciones Favoritas. The following year, Chenoa released Soy Mujer, which featured the Hindi-flavored En Tu Cruz Me Clavaste – a taste of what a Spanish Shakira might sound like. After touring Latin America for the first time, she returned to the studio to record Nada Es Igual, an album in which Chenoa sounds closer to Laura Pausini than Paulina Rubio.

Chenoa's latest release, the pop-rock Absurda Cenicienta, bridges the gap between Nada and her early, upbeat work. For the first time in her career, Chenoa is performing songs that she has written or co-written – and it's paying off. Her lead single, Toda Irá Bien, climbed the charts not only in Spain, but also in Puerto Rico, Venezuela and México. With the release of El Bolsillo del Reves, a perky synth-pop number, the U.S. may be next.