Elli Medeiros

Elli Medeiros is a Uruguayan‑French singer and actress whose career spans more than four decades across music, cinema, and the avant‑garde punk scene. Born on 18 January 1956 in Montevideo, Uruguay, she moved to Paris at the age of fourteen, where she quickly immersed herself in the burgeoning underground culture of the 1970s. After dropping out of high school, Medeiros joined the seminal punk group Stinky Toys, recording the influential grey and yellow albums in 1977 and 1979 and helping to define France’s early punk aesthetic. When Stinky Toys dissolved, she partnered with former bandmate Jacno to create the electropop duo Elli et Jacno, releasing a string of critically acclaimed albums such as Tout va sauter (1980) and the soundtrack for Éric Rohmer’s Les nuits de la pleine lune (1984), which showcased her lyrical wit and melodic sensibility. In 1986 Medeiros embarked on a solo career, delivering chart‑topping singles like Toi mon toit and A bailar calypso, which blended French pop with Latin rhythms and cemented her status as a versatile vocalist. She later contributed backing vocals and co‑writing to Etienne Daho’s 1996 album Eden, highlighting her collaborative spirit. Parallel to her music, Medeiros cultivated a prolific acting career, appearing in films directed by Olivier Assayas, Philippe Garrel, and others; notable roles include Mlle Evelyne in Venus Beauty Institute (1999) and Sofia in Leonera (2008). Over the years she has amassed a filmography that spans from early avant‑garde works like Copyright (1978) to recent projects such as To Live, To Die, To Live Again (2024). Her discography, ranging from the raw energy of Stinky Toys to the polished pop of her solo albums, reflects an artist constantly reinventing herself while maintaining a distinct, charismatic presence that continues to inspire new generations of musicians and filmmakers alike.