FACES TO WATCH 2009

MELINDA DOOLITTLE

SHE’S A DO-RIGHT WOMAN

She was the little engine that could on the sixth season of “American Idol,” her prodigious talent and sincerity getting her only so far in the face of Blake Lewis’ novel approach and Jordin Sparks’ teen appeal. But now is the time for listeners to remember that this gospel-bred former backup singer has an earth-shaking gift, one that places her beyond trends and television watchers’ whims.

Doolittle might have stuck with praise and worship music or tried to update her style with hip-hop beats. Instead, she went with vintage soul, and man, does it work. Her solo debut, “Coming Back to You” (coming out in February on Hi Fi Recordings), connects her to venerable elders like Gladys Knight and, yes, early Aretha, but instead of sounding trapped within an antique box, Doolittle comes across as vital and vibrant.

Producer Mike Mangini helped Joss Stone launch her career, and with Doolittle he’s found a partner who delivers not only on technique but also with powerful emotion. The retro-soul trend has primed listeners to appreciate the warmth of live instruments and a strong voice, so Doolittle has a chance to find her place among the airbrushed pop queens of the mainstream.

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LADY GAGA

QUEEN OF THE GLITTERING CROWD

It can take a while for an underground club darling to plant her plastic platform shoes on pop’s main stage, but as this year turns into the next, Lady Gaga seems to be doing it. Born Joanne Stefani Germanotta and raised in Manhattan -- channeling Madonna before she could possibly have meant to, she actually attended a convent school -- Gaga made a splash in the Lower East Side club scene, where outrageousness has been the coin of the land for decades.

Her major label debut, “The Fame” (Streamline/Kon Live/Interscope), was released in October, and now “Just Dance,” the single that features her fellow next-gen New Yorker, Colby O’Donis, is doing well on the charts.

A flair for theatrics is likely to keep Lady Gaga rising above pop’s ever-renewable pack of living Bratz dolls. She first came to national attention after Christina Aguilera allegedly copped her style for a performance on MTV’s Video Music Awards (of course, the elder blond bombshell denied the borrowing). It’s impressive that a young dance-pop star like Gaga has a style to cop; most turn to the corporate pool of stylists and producers at their disposal.

Gaga considers herself a performance artist, and her crew of like-minded twentysomethings has helped her design a stage show that’s as indebted to drag stars like Joey Arias and club legends like Diane Brill as it is to obvious pop inspirations Madge and Gwen Stefani.

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RELENTLESS 7

IT’S IN THE STARS FOR BEN HARPER

Some people might quibble with including this band in a “faces to watch” roundup. Ben Harper, its frontman, has been highly visible on the rock scene for more than a decade; his slide guitar playing and bubbling-up blues songs have made him a favorite on the festival circuit, while his marriage to Laura Dern has put him on Hollywood’s radar. But Relentless 7 is a band, and it takes Harper into promising new territory.

The group has been brewing for a while. Guitarist Jason Mozersky forced a demo into Harper’s hands during a tour 10 years ago. Harper was impressed, and the two became fast friends. Mozersky introduced Harper to bassist Jesse Ingalls and drummer Jordan Richardson, who also play in the band Oliver Future.

The quartet has found a groove that’s heavier and more teeth-baring than Harper’s usual mellowish approach -- a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times” appears on its MySpace page. But then, so does a version of “Purple Rain.” Harper is clearly hoping to buy property at the very active intersection of rock and soul, perhaps catching some of the excitement that’s been propelling bands like TV on the Radio.

Look for plenty of dates from this road dog and his new crew in the new year, and an album, “White Lies for Dark Times,” in late spring on Virgin.