Manu

Led by former Dolly singer, songwriter, and guitarist Emmanuelle Monet, Manú is a French alternative rock band that made its full-length album debut in 2008. Hailing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire, Monet co-founded 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 full-length 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 English-language alternative rock icons such as Sonic Youth, Pixies, and especially PJ Harvey, the band made its eponymous full-length 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 follow-up 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, Manú, 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 full-length album debut in 2008 with Rendez-Vous. 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