Manu Chao

José Manuel Tomás Arturo Chao, known as Manu Chao (Paris, 1961), is one of the most singular and politically committed musicians of the past thirty years. Son of Spanish parents exiled by Franco's regime, he grew up between Paris and Galicia and absorbed rock, punk, flamenco and Latin American song from an early age. He founded Mano Negra in 1987, a band that combined all those genres with street‑tour energy and explicit political activism.

After Mano Negra dissolved in 1995, Manu Chao spent years traveling around Latin America before releasing Clandestino (1998), an album recorded in almost home‑studio conditions that became a worldwide phenomenon. The title track, sung in four languages and dedicated to undocumented migrants, captured the turn‑of‑the‑century mood in a way no major production could have achieved.

Manu Chao has continued releasing records and touring with Radio Bemba Sound System, always outside conventional commercial circuits. His concerts, often free or at symbolic prices, are legendary for their energy and length. He is a cult figure for several generations of young people who see in his attitude as well as his music a model of how to make art without compromising values.