Iko Chérie

Iko Chérie is experimental pop made in London by French artist Marie Merlet who feels most at home in dub textures and analog noises. Her world is one of woozy incantations, Casio drones, reverb drenched guitars and gleaned spoken word samples processed through tape delay.

Born and raised in Bordeaux, Merlet maintained a close, continuous relationship with music while she was a film and electro acoustic composition student at the conservatoire, playing in several bands and Djing weekly on the local radio station Nova Sauvagine.

When she met Laetitia Sadier, Marie was involved in multiple projects: a girl-group busking with sixties covers, a Washington DC influenced punk combo, and experimental electronic ventures. But when the singer of Stereolab asked her to join Monade and they started recording and touring together, there was no turning back. Marie traded Bordeaux for London, where she has since continued her artistic journey as Iko Chérie following her musical obsessions.

Guitarist in psychedelic cumbia outfit Malphino, member of HahaSounds Collective and player with the likes of Yama Warashi and Gina Birch (The Raincoats), Marie also has a monthly residency on Soho radio where she celebrates women in music.