Lou Bonnevie

Maria Lourdes Rosario Perello Bonnevie, better known by her stage name Lou Bonnevie (born October 6, 1965, in Bicol ), is a Filipina pop rock musician.

By the time her family moved to Manila in the 1980s, she was ready to perform professionally in small clubs and hotels as she continued her secondary and college studies.

She was monickered “Twinkle” because of her hazel and captivating eyes.

Her very first professional composition was a song called “Nawawalang Karapatan” (A Song Abhorring Abortion) which became a finalist in a Children’s Rights Competition.

She has released several albums since the beginning of her career in 1984.

Her music was also used in the AD Police OVA series in Japan.

She is the first cousin of Dina Bonnevie.

She attended University of Saint Anthony High School in Iriga City and University of Santo Tomas in España, Manila.

She is of French and Spanish descent.

Bonnevie is the fifth child in a brood of seven.

Her father is the youngest in the Bonnevie clan, whose ancestors migrated from France to Pasacao in Camarines Sur, Bicol.

Her mother, who is of Filipino-Spanish lineage, hails from Manila.

They were a traveling family that lived a country life with horses in ranches that her parents managed.

Bonnevie showed her flair for music at an early age, singing in family gatherings and school events.

She honed most of her musical skills in playing the guitar and composing songs during her primary schooling in Bicol.

In 1984 she launched her musical career via a music concert held that year, Next in Line.

Bonnevie has had hundreds of live shows, performing with the top Filipino artists and backed up by seasoned musicians both from the mainstream and alternative scenes.

Venues vary from the hotel ballrooms and concert halls creating “concept shows” and theatrical rock concerts" with multimedia productions to "jamming sessions" and "unplugged productions" in top rock clubs. Her repertoire consists of her originals plus re arrangements and adaptations of "soul", "rock & roll", "folk & blues" classics essayed in pop genre. Music has taken her all over the Philippines and abroad – She has toured with Gary Valenciano in the US and has done her own major shows in the Middle East (Bahrain, Dubai and Al-ain), Singapore and Japan. Lately, she toured several Asian countries in connection with her “Only Human “ album promotions.

In 25 years, Bonnevie has earned six major studio albums and one live album including 3 international releases, 3 Kareoke releases and 3 compilation releases.

In 1984, she released her self-titled album Lou Bonnevie, produced and released by WEA Records.

In 1985, she appeared in her first regular noontime show, “Eto Yun Ang Galing” as a HOST.

It spawned four hit songs—the fast tracks “I’m Every Girl” and "Rockin’ The Beat" and the rock ballads "What a Fool I Am” and "I Need Your Love." Her follow-up My World from WEA Records was released in 1986 and produced the nationwide hit song "Love Me Tonight" and the classic Tagalog ditty, ”Lagi Lagi Na Lang”. In the 1980s Bonnevie endorsed 7-up's version of "7up the difference is clear" with Kim Cranes' worldwide hit "Bette Davis Eyes" tune.

In 1986, she debuted in her first comic acting shows in “Eh Kasi Babae” (with actor Michael de Mesa) and “Plaza 21 “ (with top comedian Dolphy) paving the way to her regular TV Musical show in Kuh Ledesma’s “Star Café” until 1987.

It is in the 1990s that Bonnevie became the endorser of international brand, Colgate, and sang the TV hit song “Get Electrical”.

In 1992, Bonnevie together with husband/artist/music director Toto Gentica formed their own production house, Dimitri Productions (named after son Mikael Dimitri).

In 1992 & 1993, she recorded “Your Love” in her own studio and released it under her independent record company, Sonata Records, and was distributed by Alpha Records.

The single “Sleepless Nights” earned an AWIT awards nomination for the Best Rock Category.

The classic original composition, “Sa ‘Yo Lamang” was also released.

This became part of the album She Knows How to Rock, which was released under BMG Records in 1995.

The album showcased Bonnevie’s raw energy and idealism and was presented with 4 and ½ stars by the publication, The Foreign Post.

It won the Awit Awards’ “Best Album Packaging”.

“Simpleng Babae”, the novelty honky tonk song Bonnevie wrote instantly became a hit and earned her “Best Female Solo Rock Performance” by KATHA Awards.

Her production outfit has been known to specialize in “concept, socio-themed and original” projects.

She began producing and performing in annual “Pinoy Summer Festivals” around the Philippines: Boracay, Puerto Galera, Tagaytay, Dumaguete, Bicol and parts of Mindanao.

In 1997, Bonnevie produced her husband Toto Gentica’s multilingual opera on the first Filipino Hero, “Lapu Lapu” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines ’Main Theater.

In 1999, “TISAY” was released by ALPHA Records.

It included 10 cuts of all original –compositions in Tagalog.

The album featured Bonnevie’s innate talent as a songwriter and lyricist.

The music spawned diversified influences including ethnic and world leanings that borders from pop-to rock-to folk in the contemporary setting.

The song “Salamat”, a poetic love song was released with an acoustic-ballad version and a groove version.”Tuloy and Ikot”, a song from the album garnered a Best World Music category in KATHA Awards.