Manu Chao

Biography

Manu Chao is a French-Spanish musician born in Paris to Spanish parents who fled Francisco Franco's dictatorship. His mother, Felisa Ortega, hails from Bilbao in the Basque Country, while his father, Ramón Chao, was a writer and journalist from Vilalba, Galicia. After his birth, the Chao family relocated to the suburbs of Paris, where Manu spent his childhood in Boulogne-Billancourt and Sèvres. Growing up in an environment rich with artists and intellectuals, many of whom were friends of his father, Chao's early experiences significantly influenced his music. He is known for blending various musical styles and languages in his work, reflecting his multicultural background and social activism.