Eljuri

Ecuador-born and New York City-bred Cecilia Villar Eljuri is an award-winning Latina singer-songwriter and ace guitarist whose original music powerfully fuses elements of rock, reggae, and world rhythms with soaring guitar and impactful, socially relevant lyrical content.  Calling herself an “artivist,” she combines her musical artistry with her keen sense of social justice and deep commitment to activism for human rights and the environment.

Over time, Eljuri has refined her own distinctive sound, creating strongly melodic, guitar-driven anthems and rebel cries, voicing urgent calls for social change in both Spanish and English. Her musical influences include the traditional Ecuadoran  pasillos and boleros written by her mother (an accomplished pianist and composer); the cha-cha and Afro-Cuban music that her Spanish father played and danced to; the punk and rock she heard when sneaking into NYC nightclubs with her siblings, and the reggae she learned from some of the greats who passed through the music halls she frequented. 

“My greatest passion is songwriting. I feel empowered to testify about life today in our world, and I consider myself a conduit to the voices of those I encounter when I travel and tour internationally. My music mirrors the things that resonate in my soul,” she comments.

Many communities are craving strong female role models, and the power that Eljuri generates onstage is undeniable. One of the top Latin guitarists in the world, she has been the recipient of Billboard, John Lennon, UK and International songwriting awards, been a “Music to Life” juried artist, and is a mentor for “SoundThinking” – a program for urban high school students, a partnership of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and CUNY (the City University of New York).She was also one of the original organizers of the massively successful Women’s Marches in NYC.

A longtime musical ambassador for civil rights and the environment, in 2024 she turned her focus to inspiring social activism among young audiences, launching the Eljuri Concerts for Democracy in tandem with three national voting organizations - Spread the Vote, Every Vote Counts, and Headcount – and touring with her power trio to enlist new voter registration in various major markets. 

Her critically acclaimed albums have consistently appeared in the top ten on indie, college, worldbeat and Latin radio in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. She has been featured on PRI, NPR, Pacifica Radio, Voice of America, NBC Latino, La Jornada, Revista Kuadro, and the Women In Rock documentary.

Eljuri is set to release her new album in August 2025 through her Manovill Records label and Six Degrees Music Distribution. Entitled Asi es el Mundo (This is the Way of the World), it is her sixth studio album and her first with Six Degrees onboard. A first single --"La Vida" -- is scheduled for release on Friday June 6th on all digital platforms.