Italian Noise Singer Regains Voice Through Unorthodox Screaming Therapy After Medical Trauma
When Stefania "Alos" Pedretti, vocalist and guitarist for the cult Italian noise duo OvO, emerged from a two-week coma on 9 January 2022, she faced a devastating reality. Not only was she diagnosed with severe encephalitis—an inflammation of the brain potentially triggered by an autoimmune response to her recent breast cancer diagnosis—but she discovered she could no longer speak, let alone sing.
The Silent Aftermath of Intubation and a Psychological Block
During her comatose state, Pedretti had been intubated, a procedure that left her vocal cords unable to close and produce sound. For months, she remained voiceless, trapped in silence. However, medical scans revealed no physical damage to her vocal cords. Instead, speech therapist Chiara Pavese identified the issue as "psychogenic dysphonia," a voice impairment stemming from severe mental or emotional stress.
"It is a psychological block which, however, has physical repercussions," Pavese explains. This disorder, which relaxes the larynx muscles through massage in typical cases, sometimes requires a psychological approach. Pedretti's doctors proposed an unconventional treatment: returning to the rehearsal room with her bandmate Bruno Dorella to scream.
Breakthrough in the Rehearsal Studio: A Scream Unlocks the Voice
Initially, Pedretti struggled immensely. "I couldn't even hold the guitar, it was an enormous effort for me," she recalls. But during simple rehearsals at Dorella's home, a pivotal moment occurred. When they attempted to play their song "Queer Fight," Pedretti screamed, and her voice miraculously emerged. "In my memory, I remembered perfectly how the piece should sound. We played and I screamed, and my voice came out," she says.
The aftermath was transformative. "Afterwards, when I spoke normally again, I had volume. I could speak and people could hear me at last." Pavese, who works at Ravenna hospital and specialises in clinical vocology, notes that for singers, muscle memory can operate on separate channels. "When Pedretti performs, she goes into automatic mode, unconsciously eliminating all the tensions that were present when she was speaking," she explains.
Months of Rehabilitation and a Newfound Vocal Awareness
Once her voice was "unlocked," Pedretti embarked on several months of exercises to relearn proper speaking techniques, beneficial for both daily communication and singing. She reflects, "That musical part is entirely the result of my instinct: it is the real me. And that's why it came naturally, since I no longer remembered how to speak. Even now, I still don't remember what my normal voice sounded like when I speak."
Her recovered voice features prominently on OvO's 2025 album Gemma, where growls blend with clean vocals and melodic parts, signalling a joyful new chapter after years of turmoil. Inspired by projects like Azdora—a black-metal band formed with elderly Italian women—Pedretti now conducts workshops exploring the voice-psyche-body connection.
Advocating for the Therapeutic Power of Screaming
Pedretti highlights societal barriers to vocal expression, particularly for women and girls. "I realise that there are social barriers to shouting and screaming," she says. "But, for me, that's our real voice. That has been silenced because it's not acceptable in society, as it is seen as something bad, ugly, rude, aggressive." She champions screaming as a legitimate tool for healing and self-expression, noting its acceptance in musical genres like metal.
This journey from voicelessness to vocal empowerment underscores the profound link between mental health and physical capability, offering hope and innovative approaches for others facing similar challenges.
