Where Art Thou: Andrea Corr and "Oh Brother"

Today's random tune is by Andrea Corr, who along with her siblings Caroline, Sharon and Jim founded the Irish group The Corrs. The Corrs began in 1990, and in 1991 they auditioned for the film The Commitments - Andrea landed the role of Sharon Rabbitte and the band got noticed by musician John Hughes who agreed to act as their manager. Their debut album was one of the most popular by an Irish group. The Corrs went on hiatus in the mid 2000's as members of the band concentrated on raising children, and Andrea went solo, launching her debut album Ten Feet High in 2007. She continues to record and perform while raising her two children with husband Brett Desmond. This song, Oh Brother, can be found on the compilation album Welcome Home: Music of Ireland (2011).

They Just Want to Bust Out Singing: Värttinä and "Laulutyttö"

Today's random song of the day is by Värttinä, a Finnish folk group founded in 1983 by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen, who had performed together reading poetry in the 1970s. In 1983, the sisters formed Värttinä and entered a youth arts contest with their poetry reading. They made it into the finals that first year, and the next year changed to singing and won the event. They brought on some male members in 1985 and entered the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, becoming known as the group that sings high and loud. Many children in their hometown were now eager to join the band, and finally Värttinä had to establish a new group for the youngest children to join. In 1987, at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, they were chosen "Ensemble of the Year," and in 1988 they released their first album. In the early 1990s, they moved to Helsinki and began training at the Sibelius Academy and perfecting their skills. The band first performed traditional Finnish folk songs, but in the mid-1990s began playing its own original compositions. Over the years the band has had many forms and lineup changes, and is currently made up of three female vocalists and three acoustic musicians. They have performed worldwide to international acclaim and have released 14 albums, including 3 compilation albums and one live CD. This song, Laulutyttö, is from their 1998 CD Vihma. The song lyrics are in the first person - the singer wants just wants to sing and party.

Quitting Cold Turkey: Habib Koité and Bamada with "Cigarette Abana"

Cigarette Abana, by Senegalese singer-songwriter Habib Koité, tops our list today. Based in Mali, Habib Koité leads a supergroup, Bamada, which consists of some of the best West African musicians. Koité tunes his guitar to a pentatonic scale and playing it on open strings, and his music can often sound like blues or flamenco, and he composes and arranges all songs for the band, which may be sung in English, French or Bambara. Cigarette Abana can be found on his 2001 album, Baro.

Dance Away the Sadness: Marissa and "Saudade Fez um Samba"

Marissa, a Brazilian singer from Rio de Janeiro, brings us our song for the day. Marissa is also an accomplished percussionist who has spent much time studying and perfecting her knowledge of Brazilian rhythms as a member of various percussion groups. Saudade Fez um Samba (Sadness Makes a Samba) was written by bossa nova legends Carlos Lyra, Ronaldo Bôscoli and João Gilberto. It speaks of how the joy of a samba replaces the pain of lost love. Saudade Fez um Samba can be found on the 2006 compilation album Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Lounge.

Bollywood Dreams: Rajeshwari Sachdev and "In Ankhiyaan Vich Tu"

Today's random song is by Rajeshwari Sachdev, a Hindi film actress and singer who made her film debut in 1991. She was born in Mumbai in 1975; her father is Punjabi and her mother is from southern India. She is best known for her role in the 1996 film Sardari Begum which won her Best Supporting Actress at the 1997 Indian National Film Awards. This song, In Ankhiyaan Vich Tu, can be found on the album Bollywood Dreams Bhangra (2010).

The Things He's Seen: William Gutierrez and "Through Ancient Eyes"

The random tune for today comes from William Gutierrez, a Native American flute maker and musician of Dineh and Ute heritage. There isn't much information on him personally that I've been able to find, though his flutes are highly prized. This song, Through Ancient Eyes, can be found on his 1995 album Eagle Canyon.

A Little Piz-Zaz: Zaz and "Port Coton"

Port Coton is the title of the random song of today. It is sung by French singer-songwriter Isabelle Geffroy, known by her stage name as Zaz. Mixing jazzy style, French variety, soul and acoustic genres, she became famous on the strength of her first album, the eponymously named Zaz (2010). After a childhood steeped in music education she started her musical career in 2001 singing in musical groups and as a backup singer. She released Zaz in 2010 to great acclaim, especially her single Je Veux, and has since won awards and has toured. She has released two more albums since, Recto Verso and Paris. Port Coton can be found on her debut album Zaz, and was written by French pop singer Raphaël Haroche.