My Dear Disco

Ella Riot (previously My Dear Disco)
My Dear Disco in 2010
Background information
Origin	Michigan, United States
Genres	Electropop, funk, rock, techno
Years active	2007–2011
Associated acts	Toolbox
Website	dancethink.com
Past members	Tyler Duncan (founder) Michelle Chamuel (vocals) Aaron Gold (percussion) Theo Katzman (guitar) Christian Carpenter (bass) Robert Lester / Robert Lux (guitar) Joey Dosik (keyboards) Mike Shea (percussion) Joe Dart (bass) Matt Henninger (bass)

Ella Riot was a musical group based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 2007 by Tyler Duncan as My Dear Disco, the name change came in March 2011.

The band first released the eponymous EP My Dear Disco in 2007, releasing its first album Dancethink LP in January 2009. The album fused electro-pop, funk, rock, and techno into a distinctive sound the band members have dubbed "DanceThink". The band released two more EPs in 2010 and their last EP Love Child in March 2011, before going into an "indefinite hiatus" in October 2011. In 2013, band vocalist Michelle Chamuel took part in the fourth season of The Voice and finished in second place.

Ella Riot, originally called My Dear Disco, evolved from founding member Duncan's 2005 instrumental endeavor, Toolbox. Duncan who played bagpipe, with percussionist Aaron Gold, guitarist Theo Katzman, and bassist Christian Carpenter, all undergraduate students at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, developed experimental tracks using Irish bagpipe as the lead instrument and a laptop to mix bass music and techno drum beats. Later guitarist Robert Lester and keyboardist Joey Dosik joined the group.Michelle Chamuel, a classmate of Duncan, recorded a track named "My Dear Disco" with Lester independent of the Toolbox project. Later she worked with the band on a track named "White Lies". The band was impressed with her vocals and asked her to join. My Dear Disco, named after musician Matthew Dear, was officially founded with her inclusion in 2007.

Duncan switched from bagpipe to synthesizer, but occasionally played bagpipe during live performances. The band members area of study at the University of Michigan ranged from classical drum to jazz to performance and technology. They graduated in 2008. The lineup changed with Mike Shea replacing Gold on drums.

Named one of the most promising college bands in the nation by the New American Music Union, the band was invited to perform at the 2008 A.E. Music Festival hosted by Anthony Kiedis. In the summer of 2008, the band performed at BlissFest, Hoxeyville, Dunegrass, Feel Good Festival, and Jazz Aspen Snowmass.