Yilian Cañizares is one of the most captivating violinists, singers, and composers on today’s contemporary music scene. Without ever betraying her roots, she masterfully fuses jazz, classical music, and Afro-Cuban rhythms, all carried by a voice that seems to come from another world. Few artists, whether on stage or in the studio, possess the level of virtuosity, charisma, and versatility that defines Yilian—seamlessly blending the technical rigor of classical violin, the expressive freedom of jazz, and the rich sonic palette of her native Havana, Cuba.

Her love for music emerged at an early age. At just four years old, she began studying violin and piano, and by fourteen, she earned a scholarship to study in Caracas. In 2000, she moved to Fribourg, Switzerland, to continue her training at the conservatory. Later in Lausanne, she collaborated with various ensembles and founded the quartet Ochumare, with which she won at the Montreux Jazz
Festival Competition in 2008.
Since then, her career has been in continuous ascent. Over the years, she has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Ibrahim Maalouf, Chucho Valdés, Omar Sosa, Diego El Cigala, Youn Sun Nah, Richard Bona, Jon Batiste, Cimafunk, the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, and El Comité. Artistic collaboration with musicians from all corners of the globe is a defining trait of her career, as evidenced in her acclaimed 2018 album Aguas, produced in partnership with Omar Sosa.