Erykah Badu: Baduizm (Kedar Entertainment/Universal)

PERHAPS THE first thing you notice about Erykah Badu is her uncanny vocal similarity to Billie Holiday – from the very beginning of Baduizm, Badu's debut, the boho chanteuse's timbre and inflections recall Lady Day. By the end of the album, however, it's clear that Badu is from the Diana Ross school of Billie Holiday imitation: Like Ross in her portrayal of Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues, Badu is mainly interested in just being herself.