Diego García

Although raised in an Argentinian family, Diego Garcia launched his songwriting career by reinterpreting the sounds of 1980s Brit-pop artists -- namely the Cure and the Smiths -- for an audience of 21st century New Yorkers. As the frontman of Elefant, he played a small role in the indie rock scene that swept through New York City during the new millennium, sharing the spotlight with similar groups like Longwave and stellastar*. After releasing their sophomore album in 2006, Elefant took a break while the bandmembers dedicated themselves to other projects. Although the group reconvened in 2009 to record a third album, the reunion proved to be extremely brief, with Elefant announcing their decision to permanently split up in 2010. Garcia moved ahead with his solo career, exploring his Latin roots with a new sound modeled after artists like Julio Iglesias and Roberto Carlos. He signed with Nacional Records toward the end of the year and released his solo debut, Laura, in 2011. In 2013, Garcia returned with his sophomore album, Paradise. ~ Andrew Leahey