Rachael Cantu is an indie music poster child.

Off-mainstream mindset? Check — a SoCal native, Rachael decided to go against the grain and move… gasp… east on her 21st birthday, where she quickly made her mark on the Boston indie music scene, then victoriously returned to California. Touring with indie icons? Check — Tegan and Sara, we’re looking at you. A “whole package” deal? Check — this singer-songwriter comes with haunting vocals and a deeply human lyrical sensibility.

And since it’s time for the obligatory comparison to put Rachael’s music in context, we’ll just say she’s part Ingrid Michaelson, part Iron & Wine, part something else entirely, all dipped in the vocal magnetism of an early Sarah McLachlan.

We recently caught one of Rachael’s most powerful songs, Devil’s Thunder, on an episode of ABC’s Private Practice. The song, unfortunately, is yet to be released — but you can hear it on Rachael’s MySpace or settle for this crappy YouTube version.

Give Rachael’s latest album, Run All Night, a spin for a taste of this up-and-comer.