Cristina Black / Smudge

She has the dour deadpan of Nico, the impossible drama of Lana Del Rey, the gothic confessionalism of Nick Cave and the down-to-earth feminism of Carole King. And yet, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Cristina Black is an artist all her own. Her songs will blacken your soul, rip your heart to bloody bits and then shine a heavenly light on the whole mess. And she’ll make you like it.