{blackbabes} These singers have quirky styles all their own

Is quirky the new cool? Ever since Lady Gaga stormed the charts, a girl's got to go big and unusual to make a mark in music's crowded market. There are a slew of singers — Elly Jackson of La Roux, Janelle Monae, Robyn and Sia — who are commandeering the laid-back indie scene with spectacle. USA TODAY catches up with the super-stylish singers:

ROBYN

Star stats: The 31-year-old Swedish singer has been generating buzz with three-part album Body Talk; the final installment is out Nov. 22. She's busy promoting it with an appearance on Gossip Girl (Nov. 1), a performance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (Nov. 11) and a fall tour that kicks off Nov. 5.

Sound: Techno-heavy beats reflect her love of dance culture. "Technotronic and Neneh Cherry are favorites."

Signature style: The Stockholm native with a platinum blond swoosh leans toward futuristic fashion and sleek shapes in black and white.

How she gets it: "I'm very interested in the Buffalo movement, which was street culture mixing with the arts," she says. "I still have my bomber jacket and Doc Martens."

Inspirations: "(I'm) too tired to go back to the studio after touring and being in clubs," she says. "Splitting the album into segments helped me to stay fresh when recording."

LA ROUX

Star stats: With her flaming red hair, Elly Jackson, 22, is the face and namesake (La Roux means "the redhead" in French) of the synth-pop power duo, which suits her reclusive partner, Ben Langmaid, just fine. Single Bulletproof was a summertime sensation, peaking at No. 8 on Billboard's Hot 100. Their tour starts Nov. 1 in Fort Lauderdale.

Sound: The duo is riding the New Wave crest that has found a resurgence in the indie dance scene.

Signature style: "Weird, boxy clothes," like her gold lamé jacket.

How she gets it: "I love wild, bold prints that clash, but also classic looks in black, white or gold."

Inspirations: "I started out as a folk singer, but then I started clubbing," Jackson says. "I wanted to do more than sit on a stage, playing a guitar and moaning."

JANELLE MONAE

Star stats: The indie soul singer has been getting critical raves for latest album The ArchAndroid. She teamed up with B.o.B for The Kids, from his hit album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray.

Sound: Monae, who won't share her "government-given" age, seamlessly blends genres that range from R&B to pop. "I speak in color; I think in bolds like green and red."

Signature style: Often seen with an extravagant pompadour, Monae also loves structured looks with exaggerated shoulder pads.

How she gets it: Her band wears black-and-white uniforms. "My mother was a janitor, and my father drove trash trucks," she says. "The working class are my people, and I am the voice for them."

Inspirations: "The android is my muse."

SIA

Star stats: The Australian singer wrote four songs for Christina Aguilera's Bionic. Another tune, My Love, is featured on the Eclipse soundtrack, and new single I'm in Here was featured on Gossip Girl.

Sound: Famous for moody tracks such as Breathe Me and Little Black Sandals, the former Zero 7 singer revs up the pace on fourth solo album We Are Born.

Signature style: She keeps her look light and bright, splashing her stage sets with neon-glow colors.

How she gets it: "I'm a very visual person, and I've always nurtured my inner 5-year-old," she says. "But I'm 34 now, so I don't know how my image will evolve."

Inspirations: "I come up with my best ideas when I'm watching TV," she says, giggling. "(It) helps calm the squirrels in my head."