Ex-Otago

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Ex-Otago formed in Genoa in 2002 as an acoustic trio, establishing themselves as one of the first bands to explore overseas indie-pop sounds and blend them with Italian songwriting. For their first five minutes of existence they were called Otago, a tribute to the name of a New Zealand rugby team that won the championship against all odds. Over twenty years have passed since then, during which the band has gone through line-up changes and faced an ever-growing audience, continuing to evolve while remaining true to a personal, recognizable sound.

After their debut "The Chestnuts Times" (2002), followed by "Tanti saluti" (2007), it was with "Mezze Stagioni" (2011) that they achieved cult status among names of the national independent scene. After being “In capo al mondo” (2014), the band literally returns home with “Marassi” (2016). Produced by Matteo Cantaluppi, the album wins over both audiences and critics (it's certified gold) and was reissued the following year in a deluxe edition, featuring numerous guests, including Jake La Furia, Caparezza and Willie Peyote, anticipating the fusion of it-pop and rap that would dominate the charts in the following years. After a long tour, which also saw them share the stage with Radiohead, in 2019 the band took part in the Sanremo Festival with “Solo una canzone” (certified gold single), followed by the release of their sixth studio album, “Corochinato!”. Then the pandemic helped bring their journey to a halt, but after a period of pause, in 2023 Ex-Otago released the album “Auguri”, once again touring the country with a songbook of new singer-songwriter pop classics.

In January 2026 they celebrate the tenth anniversary of “Marassi” with a successful tour of small clubs and with Euromarassi, a series of dates across Europe. The celebration continues the following summer with more shows scheduled at some of the best Italian music festivals, which in July will also pass through their hometown of Genoa.