Interview: OvO (Italy) - Aotearoa New Zealand Tour
The sonically uncompromising project of Stefania Pedretti and Bruno Dorella for more than 25 years, OvO's first ever Aotearoa New Zealand tour is happening later this month, brought to you by Your Enabler Presents. Showcasing three sides to OvO, the Italian duo's brand new Densitá EP is an accessible gateway to their darkly textured oeuvre — spanning nearly a dozen studio albums — out today digitally via Artoffact Records (to be followed by a 7" vinyl edition) in perfect sync with the artist-friendly Bandcamp Fridays initiative (starting 8pm NZT).
Performing with all-killer special guests for every date of their tour, concluding with an all-ages HallOvOween party at Okahukura in Tauranga, Austin Cunningham (Threat.Meet.Protocol, Your Enabler Presents) spoke with OvO about their landmark latest album Gemma and journey together so far...
OvO (Italy) NZ Tour
Thursday 22nd October - Boneshed, Havelock North w/ Dos-Ovni, Machine Wreckers (all-ages)
Friday 23rd October - Harbour View Hotel, Raglan w/ Threat.Meet.Protocol, Sonomass
Saturday 24th October - Asgard, New Plymouth w/ Caldera, Maraudic, Grave Doll
Sunday 25th October - Valhalla, Wellington w/ Dreamweb, Wince
Monday 26th October - Bakehouse Collective, Featherston w/ Dreamweb (all-ages)
Thursday 29th October - Last Place, Hamilton w/ Mooring, Tusk
Friday 30th October - The Mothership, Auckland w/ Exit Sign, Tooms
Saturday 31st October - Okahukura (HallOvOween party), Tauranga w/ Threat.Meet.Protocol, Hoick, Flogging A Dead One Horse Town (all-ages)
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR
Austin Cunningham: Caio Bruno and Stefania, thanks so much for your time today and for OvO coming to New Zealand this October!
It's our pleasure to do both! And we can't really wait for this first ever tour in New Zealand!
In your 25 year plus career, in which you have played over 1000 shows around the world, you have never been to or played in New Zealand. Is ours a country you have been wanting to play? And are there any cities or places you are really looking forward to visiting while you are here?
We never had any real chance or invitation to play in New Zealand or Australia. It's always been a dream, but it seemed so impossible because of expenses that we didn't know if it would ever come true. We're definitely going to spend some time in nature there; it must be fantastic.
A lot of people, myself included, are really excited to see some or all of the songs from your latest and 11th album Gemma when you play here. For myself, this was THE album of 2025. How has the reception been, both critically and publicly, to Gemma and has this differed at all from your prior releases?
Thank you very much! For us, Gemma is a real milestone, it's taking us to a turning point. We always wanted to increase the electronic arrangements in our music, without losing our heaviness. We think this is the good direction. The critics have been very positive in general, we got a wide interview on The Wire which is always a good sign, and our audience reacted well. We have an open minded audience that likes to be surprised and even challenged.
OvO are signed to esteemed Canadian record label Artoffact (Cloud Rat, Front Line Assembley, Psychic Graveyard). Do you think that their own strong brand awareness has helped you to expand your own to other countries like New Zealand for example?
Being on a prominent record label is always a good starting point, we are a small underground band, but we have a truly faithful following worldwide, a fistful of souls that can see the light and the darkness in what we do, and are confident enough to follow it. Artoffact never pretended us to change, or to adapt to the market, they always accepted our music and our approach for what it is, giving us their maximum support. Good news: our contract expired with Gemma, and they offered to renew it. So apparently this collaboration will go on.
In all my years listening to music I can honestly say that I have never heard a band so impossible to categorise the sound or influences of as OvO. To me, your music is a mixture of everything from industrial, punk, sludge, black metal, electronica, doom, art, noise, and so much more. What do you think are the key elements that make your sound so unique?
The secret is Stefania. Her approach to music is unique. I (Bruno) prepare all the rhythmical parts, but it's only when Stefania puts her voice and her guitar on it, that an OvO song becomes an OvO song. Unique and unmistakable.
Throughout your career you have toured extensively through the world and played alongside premier noise artists including Lightning Bolt, Thurston Moore, Godflesh, Dillinger Escape Plan, Ufomammut, Zu and many more. Who have been your favourite acts to play with and where do you enjoy playing the most?
This is a tough one! How can we choose among all the great acts we've had the privilege to share stage with? Zu and Ufomammut are good friends too, Godflesh are fathers... Maybe the show with Lightning Bolt and Zu in Verona was the most exciting in terms of hype and quality. But what really touches us is playing in remote countries with local artists that are genuine and great. We love to play everywhere, from a squat to a big open air festival. As long as we can be loud...
You both live in different countries, with Bruno now in Belgium and Stefania still in Italy. With this geographical distance between you, how do you find time to write new music together and how has this evolved your songwriting process?
In the last decade our process has always started with Bruno producing sounds and patterns at home, proposing them to Stefania, and developing them together in full-immersion sessions during 3 or 4 days. We repeat this process three or four times, and then go to a studio where we keep the good ideas and develop new ones. So the distance isn't a real issue, especially because we're always on tour with different projects, so we meet sometimes in Italy, sometimes in Belgium. We have each other's house keys...
You will be playing a variety of world class R18 venues across New Zealand, but you will also be playing all-ages shows at the infamous Boneshed in Havelock North, Bakehouse Collective in Featherston and Okahukura in Tauranga. Is the all-ages scene as important in Europe as it is here?
In Europe almost every club is all-ages, so we always have underage people at our shows.
25 years together as a band is an impressive feat, you guys obviously really enjoy playing together and have a strong friendship and bond that goes far beyond the music you make together. At this rate can we expect another 25 years of OvO?
We are symbiotic. Even when we split as a couple, 18 years ago, OvO was never questioned.
When Stefania was in a coma 4 years ago, I (Bruno) wasn't even sure I could ever play music again at all, if she wasn't coming back. Luckily she did, we're here, and I think we'll be OvO until we'll be able to play music.
I may have some personal bias here but I can’t wait to experience the uniqueness of OvO live. However, for those that may not be an existing fan like myself what can a new or potential OvO fan expect from your concerts and this tour?
Expect the unorthodox. Or the heterodox. We do nothing the way it's supposed to be done. We're very good at it. But don't expect a comfort zone. We can't wait to play for New Zealand's most open ears!
Thanks again to you both for your time. Looking forward to seeing you in New Zealand!
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