A Voice Unlocked: The Journey of Stefania "Alos" Pedretti
Stefania Pedretti's battle with cancer had left her voice in a state of limbo. After a near-fatal coma and months of being unable to speak, the Italian singer-songwriter was faced with an unexpected solution: screaming. As part of her recovery, Pedretti returned to the rehearsal room with her band OvO, hoping that the intense noise would help her regain her voice.
The results were nothing short of miraculous. At first, even simple tasks like holding a guitar proved to be an enormous effort for Pedretti. But when she and her bandmate Bruno Dorella started rehearsing, something clicked. They played their song "Queer Fight," and Pedretti's screams flowed effortlessly out of her.
"It was as if I remembered perfectly how the piece should sound," she recalls. The breakthrough was followed by a surprise consequence: when Pedretti spoke normally again, she had regained volume and could be heard for the first time in months.
From a medical perspective, the phenomenon is not uncommon. "For those who sing or use their voice for work, it's as if there were two separate channels," explains clinical vocologist Chiara Pavese. When Pedretti sings, her body automatically eliminates tension, but this mental block can be present when speaking. Once her voice returned, it didn't go away.
Pedretti credits her newfound understanding of her own voice to the band's energetic performances. "That musical part is entirely the result of my instinct: it's the real me," she reflects. Her voice has since been showcased on OvO's latest album, Gemma, which blends heavy noise with melodic sung parts.
As Pedretti continues to explore the connection between her voice and psyche, she is now sharing her knowledge with others through workshops and sessions. She aims to inspire people to tap into their "animal side" and unleash their authentic expression. By doing so, she hopes to challenge societal norms that often stifle our natural voices.
"I realise that there are social barriers to shouting and screaming," Pedretti acknowledges. "But for me, that's our real voice – it's been silenced because it's seen as something bad or ugly." It's time to reclaim this fundamental part of ourselves and recognize the healing potential of our raw, unbridled voices.
Stefania Pedretti's battle with cancer had left her voice in a state of limbo. After a near-fatal coma and months of being unable to speak, the Italian singer-songwriter was faced with an unexpected solution: screaming. As part of her recovery, Pedretti returned to the rehearsal room with her band OvO, hoping that the intense noise would help her regain her voice.
The results were nothing short of miraculous. At first, even simple tasks like holding a guitar proved to be an enormous effort for Pedretti. But when she and her bandmate Bruno Dorella started rehearsing, something clicked. They played their song "Queer Fight," and Pedretti's screams flowed effortlessly out of her.
"It was as if I remembered perfectly how the piece should sound," she recalls. The breakthrough was followed by a surprise consequence: when Pedretti spoke normally again, she had regained volume and could be heard for the first time in months.
From a medical perspective, the phenomenon is not uncommon. "For those who sing or use their voice for work, it's as if there were two separate channels," explains clinical vocologist Chiara Pavese. When Pedretti sings, her body automatically eliminates tension, but this mental block can be present when speaking. Once her voice returned, it didn't go away.
Pedretti credits her newfound understanding of her own voice to the band's energetic performances. "That musical part is entirely the result of my instinct: it's the real me," she reflects. Her voice has since been showcased on OvO's latest album, Gemma, which blends heavy noise with melodic sung parts.
As Pedretti continues to explore the connection between her voice and psyche, she is now sharing her knowledge with others through workshops and sessions. She aims to inspire people to tap into their "animal side" and unleash their authentic expression. By doing so, she hopes to challenge societal norms that often stifle our natural voices.
"I realise that there are social barriers to shouting and screaming," Pedretti acknowledges. "But for me, that's our real voice – it's been silenced because it's seen as something bad or ugly." It's time to reclaim this fundamental part of ourselves and recognize the healing potential of our raw, unbridled voices.