Té

French rock/R&B star Té was born July 25, 1975, in Dakar, the capitol city of his father's homeland, Senegal. When his parents divorced, he returned with his mother to northeastern France, to the town of St. Dizier. As a teen, Té drew his musical inspiration from the pop and rock music of the day. Using the guitar given him by his mother, he assembled small bands with friends and began experimenting with songwriting, composing mainly in English. In 1998 Té moved to Paris, playing caféand busking before forming a successful trio with drummer Alberto Malo and bassist Evy Moon. Thanks to luck and a unique sound the young men were quickly signed to Sony/Epic, releasing their debut record, L'Air de Rien, in 2001. While working on the record, Té maintained a busy performing schedule as a solo artist, building a healthy-sized fan base via small Paris clubs and café His polished, infectious live presence was captured on 2003's Par Monts et Vallons, which featured recordings from three different live shows. A year later Té's second studio production hit the airwaves with a series of well-liked singles. A la Favuer de l'Automne generated radio hits such as "Emma Stanton" and the title track, "A la Faveur de l'Automne." Large venue performances and international touring the following summer brought Té from the underground scene to the mainstream market. His 2006 release Le Sacre des Lemmings et Autres Contes de la Lisiere addressed an array of social themes, his first overtly political project. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide