Gloria Trevi

So she may have been involved in human trafficking, sexual slavery and other nefarious dealings. So she spent almost a decade of her life either on the run or fighting extradition in a Brazilian jail. So her Web site glaringly omits this entire period in her biography. After all, she was acquitted of all charges, so who are we to judge? It's easy to treat Gloria Trevi like no more than the sum of her tabloid headlines, but that's short shrift for an artist who not only played idol to the masses but truly represents a revolutionary force in Latin music. Though they may seem tame today, the sexual frankness and sociopolitical bent of La Trevi's lyrics and stage presence were galvanizing in the early '90s, especially for Latin audiences used to conservative, demure female performers. Trevi did not rest on the laurels of her shock appeal, spitting out formulaically controversial pop tunes. A gifted songwriter, she has recorded much of her own material throughout her career and has made a habit of incorporating nontraditional influences into her music. In the early days of her career, it was not uncommon to see her whip through an admirable Led Zeppelin cover amidst her set of punchy Latin pop. These days, Trevi is in a new phase, incorporating merengue, tropicalia and Italian balladry into a new signature sound.