Yesterday Variety released their 2008 Women's Impact Report that spotlights women from all areas of entertainment who have made a lasting impression on the industry this year. The publication is featuring a new category this time around called "Defying Convention," and of the seven women who made the list, four were recording artists. From bluegrass to hip-hop to R&B, these four ladies are poster children for unorthodox success.

Alison Krauss

While she is the most Grammy-honored female recording artist in history, and her vocal work on the Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack contributed to $7 million in sales, country radio still doesn't play Alison Krauss' music. She attributes her success to her live shows and word of mouth. (I would add "crazy talent" to that list.) She told Variety that Dolly Parton was her role model because "she is who she is, wherever she goes."

Her career mantra: "Go where you are inspired, toward what moves you, to that lyric that keeps you up at night."

Erykah Badu

After hovering around stardom in the late '90s, writer's block kept Erykah Badu silent for nearly a decade until she released New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) in February. Her musical stylings blew critics and producers away. The former because it did away with traditional song structure, and the latter because she recorded the whole thing with Mac's GarageBand software at her home. With the success of New Amerykah, Badu signed a two-album deal for music to be released later this year. … continue reading

Hey, did something happen in Hollywood last night? Oh, right; a bunch of people went home with shiny naked golden men. While some may quibble with a few of the winners, last night’s Oscars telecast was a night when Tinsel Town pretty much got things right. Sure, I would have loved for Juno to sneak in and steal No Country for Old Men’s Oscar for Best Picture. But that might have incurred the wrath of Anton Chigurh, and the last thing you want to do is to make a man with a Dorothy Hamill haircut and a compressed-air gun angry.

The evening was largely a classy affair, with lots of first-time winners, loads of heartfelt speeches and even a couple genuine surprises. So in the spirit of honoring excellence, here are a few awards of my own. May I have the envelope, please?

Best Straight Allies: Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth

The filmmakers won for their short documentary Freeheld, about a lesbian couple’s fight to win survivorship benefits. (Look for more details in Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. this Friday.)

Best Upset I Didn’t Know I Wanted: Marion Cotillard

I thought I’d be mad at Marion for upsetting my personal favorite Julie Christie for Best Actress, but after hearing her exuberant, charming and sincere speech, I’ve fallen in love instead.

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