Singer Ely Guerra Unveils Her Masculine Side in Hombre Invisible

It’s been five long years since Mexican singer Ely Guerra gave us the record Sweet & Sour/Hot y Spicy so it’s about time we hear from her again. Not one to conform, the 38-year-old left EMI Music to independently produce her newest effort, Hombre Invisible, an album that is being sold digitally through mapamondo.com. And if you think the singer-songwriter needs the backing of a major label (or even iTunes) to help the CD fly off of virtual shelves, think again.

The concept behind the album alone should awaken the curiosity of longtime fans. Before composing the songs, Guerra asked nine musician friends—big names like Juanes, Enrique Bunbury and Gustavo Santaolalla—to send her a phrase, a guitar riff or anything else that could serve as inspiration to put pen to paper. She then took everything that was sent her way and decomposed it to make it her own. The result is 10 experimental tracks that touch on various musical styles (jazz, rock, electronica); languages (English, French, Spanglish); and different sides of the artist:

She told People En Español, “I am a woman who has a strong masculine side, which I love, respect and don’t fear. I’m not afraid to show it and be transparent with him . . . all this is reflected in the record.”

Here’s the video for “Stranger,” the first single from Hombre Invisible: