Sometimes all it takes is one good idea to spark a revolution. That’s how Terra Naomi became YouTube’s first breakout music star when she launched her innovative “Virtual Summer Tour” from her Hollywood apartment in 2006. By “touring” online with daily videos shot live from her bedroom, Naomi scored an accidental viral hit with her song “Say It’s Possible” and ended up inspiring a generation of webcam singer-songwriters.

Naomi didn’t set out to be an Internet pioneer, but today she continues to forge new ground online as she explores different channels to bring her music to her fans, from weekly Ustream live broadcasts to Twitter-only releases. After a major label deal that proved to be an ill fit, Naomi has learned that she prefers the intimacy and immediacy of bringing her music straight to her fans.

Naomi’s sardonic wit is evident in her songs as well. Listen to “The Vicodin Song” or “Happy Story,” and you will feel the dichotomy. Her music is equal parts darkness and light, strength and fragility. Songs like “Everybody Knows” and “The Other Man” showcase heartache and longing, but there is always a sense of hope. Of course, some songs are all hope without the darkness, like “You For Me,” which has become a fan favorite. Several fans have even proposed marriage to their significant others while Naomi personally dedicated the song by request.

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