Superbus

Biography

Superbus is a five-piece French pop rock band formed in 1999 with Jenn Ayache on lead vocals. The band's name is from the Latin word superbus, meaning proud, which Ayache stumbled upon while browsing through a Latin dictionary. The band has released five studio albums to date and a compilation album.

Beginnings

After a trip to the United States to perfect her English in 1999, Jennifer Ayache looked for musicians to form a group. She met Michel Giovannetti, a guitarist, and François Even, a bass guitarist, who already knew each other from another group, and formed a new band, initially as a three-piece before two other members joined.
Those two were later replaced by Guillaume Rousé on drums and Patrice Focone on guitar. Rousé left the band in 2005 and was replaced by Greg Jacks.

History

In 2002, Superbus released its first album, Aéromusical×Aéromusical19 March 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Je reste encore2:292Superstar (single version)3:143Tchi Cum Bah2:244Le Soleil3:285Le Loup3:196Aeromusical (single version)2:227Something Wrong3:418Ennemie2:449A travers toi4:0710Into the Groove2:5011Helping Hand2:5912Sans décrocher3:51. The band's second album, Pop'n'gum, released in 2004, was produced by David Salsedo from Silmarils. In 2006, Superbus won the Best French Act award at the MTV Europe Music Awards and, in 2008, the NRJ Music Award of the Best French Music Band.
After three months of touring during summer 2010, the band announced a short break, during which each member would work on solo projects. In August 2011, the band's lead guitarist, Patrice Focone, announced they would begin work on new material together in early September. In April 2012, Jenn announced the band is finalizing the mixing of their new album and will go on tour later in 2012. They premiered a new single in June entitled "All Alone×All Alone1 January 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1All Alone3:392All Alone (J.O.B remix club)5:003All Alone (Seven Lions remix club)4:254All Alone (Sound Remedy remix club)5:165All Alone (Hector Cole & Feerkins remix club)3:27" and released a music video for it shortly after with a follow-up single entitled "A la chaine". Yet a third single "Whisper" featured Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi. A music video for the single was released on Halloween 2012. In early November 2012 the band began to embark on their Sunset Tour from late 2012 to summer 2013 to promote their album Sunset×Sunset27 August 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1All Alone3:392À la chaîne3:503Smith n Wesson3:434Mini2:185L'Annonce2:526Whisper3:487Calling You2:208Mrs Better3:129Get Real3:2010Duo3:3611L'Éte n'est pas loin3:0112La Cible2:4913Baisse ton froc2:3114Video Killed the Radio Star3:13.
In October 2015, Superbus released a non-single song called "Un Autre Monde" for an album featuring various artists called the Téléphone Tribute.
In 2016, Superbus started teasing for a new album on their Facebook page. This album was that revealed to be Sixtape×Sixtape3 June 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Intro0:202Strong & Beautiful4:043Soul Sister3:444On the River3:475Next Summer3:456J'ai déjà3:407Impensablement2:5484 Tourments3:549Pour mon père3:0810Jusqu'à la mer2:5811Toyboy3:4812The Lighter2:2413Run3:0414Fin des programmes (Outro)0:22, the band's 6th album, and it was released on 3 June 2016.
The first single from the album is called "Strong and Beautiful×Strong and Beautiful4 March 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Strong and Beautiful4:05," which Superbus released a lyrics video for on 4 March 2016.
The second single from the album is called "On the river", and Superbus released a lyrics video for it on 12 September 2016.
The singles also have an acoustic, piano-driven version included on the Limited edition CDs, these also have shorter lyrics than the original versions.
On 15 June 2019 the band revealed the poster for a new tour that signifies the band's 20th anniversary celebration.
Later on, it was also revealed that the band will likely have a new album coming in early 2020.
The EP named XX was released on 13 March 2020.
After years of hiatus, the band returned in 2025 with a new album named OK KO×OK KO4 July 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1OK KO2:472Les cheveux1:373Lola3:014L’ancre2:455Mauvais réflexe2:516Aseptisé3:037Butterfly3:438Midnight Express3:419Baby Boom3:0510La corrida2:4511Paris Paris3:4112La locomotive3:1413Stupido3:3114Stereo Song3:08. It was launched in July 2025.

Members

Jennifer Ayache, a.k.a. Jenn – lead and backing vocals, guitars, ukulele, keyboards, organ, piano, drums, percussion (1999–present)
Patrice Focone, a.k.a. Pat – electric and slide guitar, keyboards, programming, backing and lead vocals (2000–present)
Michel Giovannetti, a.k.a. Mitch – guitar, keyboards (1999–present)
François Even, a.k.a. Küntz – bass, keyboards, backing vocals (2000–present)
Greg Jacks – drums, percussion (2006–2015, 2019–present)
Former members
Nicolas Jean – drums (2000)
Guillaume Rousé, a.k.a. Rouséman – drums (2000–2006)
Session/Touring members
Jocelyn Moze – drums, percussion (only on the Sixtape album) (2015)
Tom Daveau – drums (only on the sixtape album) (2015)
Romain Bachelard – drums, percussion (only for the Sixtape tour) (2016–2017)

Solo projects

Band members have been known to have their side solo projects.

Jenn Ayache

The lead vocalist Jennifer Ayache, also known as Jenn Ayache, was born in Cannes on 9 November 1983. She is the daughter of Jean-Pierre Ayache and Chantal Lauby, the latter a member of the comedy group Les Nuls. Vocalist Jenn Ayache is also a multi-instrumentalist playing the drums, guitar and piano.
She met guitarist Michel Giovannetti co-founding the band in October 1999. A successful songwriter, she has written songs for a number of artists including "Comment faire" for David Hallyday and for musical comedies Scooby-Doo et les Pirates Fantômes (2009) in the song "Aero Toto" and for Kamel Ouali's musical Dracula – L'amour plus fort que la mort (2010) in the song "1, 2, 3" performed by Anaïs Delva, and the debut single from the play, plus "Encore" and "Appelle le docteur". She also wrote the play's She was in album Satellite in 2004 under the pseudonyme Marie Janin and sang with Marc Lavoine the song "Désolé". She offered the song "Tu te fous de nous" originally titled "Dansez" to Christophe Willem for the album Caféine in 2009. In January 2010, she was part of the charity song "Un Geste pour Haïti chérie". She has been in the audiovisual production La cité de la peur (1994), and in a TV film Telle mère telle fille (1998) playing the role of Rebecca.
In October 2014, she released her solo album +001 that charted in France and Belgium.

In popular culture

Their song "Lola" is the main theme song of the Greek TV series that has the same name (Λολα), inspired by the original Argentine series Lalola.
"Radio Song" off of their second album Pop'n'gum was featured in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock as an unlockable bonus song.
"Butterfly×Butterfly2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Butterfly3:532Eighteen3:02" is featured in the soundtrack of the video game FIFA 08.

Other songs

2003: "Superstar×Superstar2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Superstar3:132Aéromusical2:21"
2003: "Into the Groove×Into the Groove2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Into the Groove2:50"
2003: "Monday to Sunday"
2004: "Sunshine×Sunshine2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sunshine3:21"
2004: "Radio Song"
2005: "Little Hily"
2006: "Le rock à Billy"
2008: "Ça mousse×Ça mousse2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ça mousse3:112Ça mousse (acoustique)3:323Ça mousse (live)3:25"
2009: "Lova Lova×Lova Lova9 February 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Nelly3:432Addictions3:583I Wanna Be U3:364Hello Hello2:575À la verticale3:126Just Like the Old Days3:407Gogo Dance Show2:508London Town3:389Call Girl3:2510Apprends-moi4:0911Keyhole3:3012Lova Lova3:21Disc 21Les Dessous de Lova Lova26:00"
2009: "Nelly"
2012: "À la chaîne"
2012: "Whisper"