Charli XCX

Whether she’s penning defiantly joyous singles like “I Love It” or exploring her darker side, Charli XCX is proof that you don’t need to stay in one lane to become a massive success. Born Charlotte Aitchison in 1992 in Cambridge, England, to Scottish and Gujarati Indian parents, Charli took up songwriting at 14, lifting her stage name from her instant messenger handle. On the strength of her MySpace uploads and performances at London raves, she landed a record deal at 18, released the modestly successful darkwave cuts “Stay Away” and “Nuclear Seasons,” then hit the big time with 2012’s kiss-off anthem “I Love It.” Originally scrapped from her own album for being too poppy, the beat-pounding re-recording by Swedish duo Icona Pop quickly became a worldwide dance-floor favorite.