Manú: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Matmatah
• Prohom
• Eiffel
• Luke

• Sonic Youth
• PJ Harvey
• Pixies

• Dolly

Formed:

Jan 1, 2006 in Nantes, France

Genre:

World & International Music

Decades Active:

2000's

Led by former Dolly singer, songwriter, and guitarist Emmanuelle Monet, Manú is a French alternative rock band that made its fulllength album debut in 2008. Hailing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire, Monet cofounded the French rock alternative rock band Dolly in 1989 with Mickaël Chamberlin (bass) and Thierry Lacroix (drums). Originally billed itself as Dolly Co., the band released an EP, No One No Feeling (1992), and a fulllength album, Amours Lynchées (1994). Then in 1995 the band added Nicolas Bonnière (guitar) to its lineup and changed its billing to simply Dolly. Influenced by Englishlanguage alternative rock icons such as Sonic Youth, Pixies, and especially PJ Harvey, the band made its eponymous fulllength album debut as Dolly in 1997 on the label East West. Featuring the breakout hit single "Je N'veux Pas Rester Sage," Dolly was a modest commercial success, reaching the Top 40 of the French albums chart. While the followup album Un Jour de Rêves (1999) was similarly popular, reaching the Top 40 of the albums chart, successive albums Plein Air (2002) and Tous des Stars (2004) signaled a growing fan base, both reaching the Top 20. Unfortunately, Chamberlin died in a car accident on May 25, 2005, and the remaining bandmembers put Dolly to rest. In the wake of the band's breakup, Monet took a year off before putting together a new band, Monet, along with the other surviving Dolly bandmembers, plus Bayrem Ben Amor (bass) in the place of Chamberlin. Signed to a recording contract with Universal Music France, Manú made its fulllength album debut in 2008 with RendezVous. In support of the album, which reached number 65 on the French charts, Manú embarked on an extensive national tour with Thierry Niro (aka Nirox; drums) in the place of Lacroix.

- Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide