Youssra El Hawary, Egypt

With more than 170,000 hits on her April YouTube hit, “El Soor” (The Wall), singer Youssra El Hawary has been hailed as more than a passing Internet sensation. In the video, the skinny-jean-clad El Hawary, in her 20s, sings sweetly with accordion in tow, against the backdrop of a graffitied wall, ubiquitous in post-revolutionary Cairo. An actress and singer with local troupes, El Hawary is seen as an up-and-coming star of Egypt's alternative music field.