Manu Chao will release his new album ‘Viva Tu’ through Because Music on 20th September. Following last month’s unveiling of the title track, a heartfelt rumba dedicated to all the women in his neighbourhood, Manu Chao today shares ‘São Paulo Motoboy‘, a brotherly tribute to all of the couriers in São Paulo risking their lives every day as they ride their two-wheelers across the huge metropolis.
“São Paulo is a breathing beast. And the couriers are the blood running through its veins, keeping it alive” Manu Chao
Here, Manu sings of the perils and the self-sacrifice these workers experience during their grueling daily routes. He sings of the laughter, dreams and bravery of city street knights, who fearlessly weave between trucks and in and out of traffic jams. Men and women ready to give their all, despite nothing ever being handed to them. All of it through the heat, the cold or the rain, emergencies or accidents that are always waiting to happen, with careless abandon and endless courage. He also evokes their undeniable sense of freedom.
It’s a topic he’s never tackled before, but one which leaves nothing to chance. Prior to his international success, Manu was himself a courier in Paris. ‘São Paulo Motoboy’ will inevitably bring up the same motorcycle-riding workers found on the streets of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. It will also feature an immersive documentary depicting the daily life of ‘motoboys’ in São Paulo.
The 13 new songs that make up Manu Chao’s upcoming album ‘Viva Tu’ are inspired by his travels, people’s daily lives and the current state of the world. Delivered in Spanish, French, Portuguese and English, notable collaborations include Willie Nelson on ‘Heaven’s Bad Day’ and French singer Laeti on ‘Tu Te Vas’.
Since the release of ‘La Radiolina’ in 2007, Manu has continued to generously share his music. In addition to offering free tracks on his website and acoustic sessions on his YouTube channel, Manu has collaborated on projects with friends like Bomba Estéreo, Rumbakana, Charlart58, Carlangas, Dani Lança, Calypso Rose and many others. He has also participated in social causes like Playing For Change and The Dharavi Dream Project.
Manu has continued to travel the world to meet his audience. Accompanied by his faithful musicians and friends Lucky Salvadori, Miguel Rumbao and/or Mauro Metralla, in an acoustic format – “three friends with three sticks of wood” – they perform in various venues, family festivals and popular events in France, Switzerland, Holland, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Singapore, Nepal, India, Macedonia, Slovenia, Norway, Colombia, Paraguay, Bosnia… These concerts are delivered in intimate, almost mystical settings, with a desire to be in harmony and captivate a vibrant and engaged audience. Using the excuse of these concerts, he has visited communities, associations and cooperatives, as well as activist groups defending social causes that need support: Manu listens and shares. And, of course, reunions with friends always fuel his inspiration.
PRE-ORDER NEW ALBUM ‘VIVA TU’ HERE
