On Tuesday 28 December (free entry – 7.30 pm – Super Green Pass required), the Christmas events at the Castello Volante in Corigliano d’Otranto, organised under the ‘Natale al Castello’ banner, continue with a musical selection curated by DJ and guitarist Manu Funk.
Manu Funk, the stage name of Emanuele Pagliara, was born in Lecce on 8 September 1985. From a very young age, he showed a marked aptitude for the world of music in the broadest sense of the term. His first birthday present was a 2/4 guitar. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began learning the guitar at the age of six with his father, Maestro Gianni Pagliara. Encouraged by his family and already possessing a solid musical foundation, at the age of 12 he began classical studies at the “Tito Schipa” Conservatoire in Lecce, specialising in the viola. In December 2008, he embarked on a new adventure as a guitarist with Roy Paci & Aretuska. Thanks to them, he has graced the stages of the biggest festivals in Italy and around the world (Brazil, the United States, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway, Greece, Austria, the USA). Throughout his career, he has had the good fortune to play with high-calibre artists such as Fiorella Mannoia, Tonino Carotone, Frankie Hi Energy, Niccolò Fabi, Daniele Silvestri, Teresa De Sio, Negrita, Apres La Classe, Bunna, Albrosie, DJ Gruff, Valerio Jovine, Roberto Angelini, Nitto, Emma Marrone, Negramaro, Manu Chao and Boomdabash (with whom he recorded the guitar tracks for the album *Superheroes* and the single “L’importante”). In November 2009, he launched the Bundamove project, through which he released “Da funk machine” (2010), “Sexy voodoo party” feat. BB Cico (single – 2012), “Connection” (2014), ‘Rollover’ (single – 2016), ‘Nandu Popu meets Bundamove’ (2018) and ‘Libera’ (2020). In 2020, he founded La Funkeria Records srls, which began as a production company and independent record label. At the same time, he launched his solo project under the pseudonym Manu Funk, pursuing an electro/funk singer-songwriter style with indie influences. In April 2020, he introduced his new sound to the music scene with a cover of Riccardo Cocciante’s “Bella Senz’anima”. Shortly afterwards, he began releasing his own original music with “Non ho lavato la macchina”, “Era bella” and “Gaviskon”, in the run-up to his first EP.
