Silmarils

French alternative rock band Silmarils, formed in Lisses (Essonne) in 1989, is best known for its hit "Va y avoir du sport", which has been used in numerous film, TV and other contexts. The band, whose name is inspired by a book by J. R. R. Tolkien, established their reputation in concert for several years, before being noticed and signed in 1995 by Peter Murray, founder of the Murrayfield label, affiliated with Warner Music France. After the release of their first single "Cours vite", whose accompanying video was directed by filmmaker Olivier Dahan, followed an untitled debut album blending the alternative band's rock, rap and metal influences. Two years later, its successor Original Karma, featuring DJ Lethal, reached number 31 in the French album charts. It was with the following album, Vegas 76, recorded in Los Angeles and released in 2000, that Silmarils won over the general public, thanks to the track "Va y avoir du sport". Although it reached number 34, the song remained a best-seller for twelve weeks, and became widely used in TV sports shows and in other contexts. Silmarils continued with the album 4 Life (2003) and returned after several years of silence during the Covid-19 pandemic with the EP Live in Confinement (2020). A new album, Apocalypto, was released in 2024.