Best Female Vocalists Ballads


I am on the lookout to add to my extensive collection of music. It's been a while since I was 'on the lookout' for such.
My favorite music is ballads, male and female. Any suggestions on music spanning, say the past 5 or six years?
Album name AND Artist.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Larry
lrsky
Ooh, good one Peter! Another incredible female is Julie Miller, a great songwriter and singer, wife and partner of the best producer/singer/guitarist/bandleader (for Emmylou Harris) working today, Buddy Miller.
Top of my list would be Cecile Mclorin Salvant's Woman Child but check out this long running thread and you should get all the suggestions you will ever need.
I really have to take my hat off to you guys. The variation in tastes here is mind boggling. I'll add my recent favorites knowing that they don't overlap at all with most of these: Erykah Badu, Melody Gardot, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nina Simone, Shirley Horn for a real classic, Regina Specktor and my favorite of Ricky Lee Jones.