Meiko

Meiko is a bona fide iTunes phenomenon, another of those bootstrap success stories we all love to hear in this day of crashing record labels and falling retail sales. Based in Los Angeles but originally from Roberta, Georgia, Meiko self-released Meiko in late 2007 and it stormed up the digital retailers' chart all the way to No. 35. It also made it to the top of iTunes' folk chart. Of course, when that happens, the sharps who run the record biz sit up and take notice. By 2008, she had a record deal and its accompanying label machinery behind her; in fact, she signed one of the first deals with MySpace Records; she's since been picked up by Universal. Adding the track "Boys With Girlfriends," which has become a huge fan favorite, the album was remixed and re-released in mid-2008 and immediately swept up the iTunes charts again, this time making it to No. 14 on the Top 100 and No. 1 on the folk list again. Whether she's "folk" or not is debatable, but one thing is certain: "Boys With Girlfriends" is a sweet little harmless pop song much like Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl," and it only takes one listen to understand that Meiko is a pop force to be dealt with. Probably for many albums to come.