Lætitia Sadier

Sometimes the coolest people in the room are the ones that are gracious, aware and aesthetically sincere (and being mad talented doesn’t hurt, either). Read or watch an interview with Sadier and you'll see what I mean. Even though she is the frontwoman of uber-cool Stereolab and has been named-dropped as an influence by many artistically relevant figures, she has never come across as aloof or detached as far as I'm aware. That said, you also readily get the impression that she's not the type to suffer fools gladly (or at all). As a singer, her voice is immediately recognizable. As a lyricist, she's been a sharp, informed and poetic voice on topics of socioeconomics, art, war, love, greed, history, human experience and beyond for over three decades now. She plays a variety of instruments, but it's always a treat to see her pick up the trombone mid-performance if you ever get the chance to see her play live. Taste level appears to be nigh unmatchable. There are people who are effortlessly cool, and then there are people who are effortlessly cool but still make a real effort to reach others and take a stand on behalf of common dignity. Sadier is the latter sort.

p.s., Don't sleep on her solo albums! The Trip is a sure-thing zero-risk starting place if you enjoy Stereolab.