Imanol was born in San Sebastián, Francoist Spain on November 11, 1947, and completed studies in drafting, although he never came to practice the profession.

He began singing in Basque in 1964 – a risky activity during Francoist Spain – publishing his first recording pseudonymously as self-titled Michel Etxegaray.

It was in France where he made contact with future friends and collaborators such as Paco Ibáñez, the Breton group Gwendal, and Elisa Serna.

[6][7][8][9][10][11] In 1986, Imanol participated in a concert in honor of ex-ETA leader María Dolores Katarain (known as Yoyes), who had been murdered by her former colleagues in the town of Ordizia after she tried to leave ETA.

In response, a group of friends including some cadres from Euskadiko Ezkerra of Ordizia proposed organizing a further concert in support of Imanol.

Telegrams were read from the union CCOO and about 180 former ETA prisoners signed a statement in support of Imanol and rejected the "obligatory thinking" of the terrorist group.

[19] That year, he released his album Ausencia, singing in Spanish to honor Professor Mikel Azurmendi, a personal friend who also decided to leave the Basque Country.