Negrita

Negrita are an Italian rock band, formed in the early Nineties in Capolona, in the province of Arezzo. Originally known as Inudibili, they changed their name in homage to the Rolling Stones song "Hey! Negrita". Over the course of their career, they have released about ten studio albums, three live albums, and as many compilations.

In 1992 they were spotted by producer Fabrizio Barbacci, and the original band took shape: Roberto "Zama" Zamagni, joined by Paolo "Pau" Bruni, Cesare "Mac" Petricich, Enrico "Drigo" Salvi and Franco "Frankie" Li Causi.

The album "Negrita", their 1993 debut, is a jolt: vibrant, rich guitar lines, a rock-solid rhythm section and a funk drive that was hard to pigeonhole at the time. The album drew huge interest from audiences and critics alike, buoyed by the success of "Cambio", and took the band on tour to every corner of the country.

In 1995 came "Paradisi per Illusi". Riding that success and thanks to their strong live attitude, Negrita toured abroad as well, as far as Istanbul for the European Rock Festival. The new album "XXX" came out in 1997 and was recorded between New Orleans and Los Angeles. With this record Negrita confirmed they had found their own style: the album sold sixty thousand copies in no time, driven by tracks like "Sex", "A modo mio" and "Ho imparato a sognare".

In 1998, the album "Reset" came out, taking Negrita to the top of the charts with over 100,000 copies sold and strong live success, with tracks like "Mama Maé", "Hollywood" and "In ogni atomo".

In 2000 Negrita closed out Arezzo Wave with "Live in Alcatraz". In October 2001 they released "Radio Zombie", preceded by the single "Bambole", which also features, among others, "Non ci guarderemo indietro mai" and "Vertigine".

In 2003 the Tuscan band took the stage at Sanremo with "Tonight", a prelude to "Ehi! Negrita", the album that gathers the best of their repertoire.

2004 was a year full of satisfaction for the group: from the tour that took in the centri sociali of Milan and Rome, to the Gold disc awarded to the album, to the hit single "Magnolia", which climbed to the top of radio airplay charts.

After drummer Zama's departure, the band travelled to South America, encountering an incredible reality that they recounted in "L'uomo sogna di volare" in 2005, certified Gold. Negrita took their songs to Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil, embarking on a journey of discovery that enriched their sound with electro-reggae, funk and blues influences. This led to the release of "Rotolando verso Sud", which soared up the Italian charts and was certified Platinum. They also continued their commitment to social causes, supporting long-distance adoption, the cancellation of developing countries' debt, and many other causes in the fight against injustice and in defence of human rights.

After the success of "HELLdorado" in 2009, which brought international sounds to the group and saw the arrival of new drummer Cristiano Dalla Pellegrina and Brazilian percussionist Itaiata De Sava, the band took part in countless events and tours around the world.

In September 2011 came "Brucerò per te", a track from "Dannato vivere", yet another Gold disc, while "Negrita Live" found success reaching as far as China and the USA/Canada.

In 2013 Negrita also made their way into theatres, and from that experience came the album "Déjà Vu", featuring their most famous songs rearranged in semi-acoustic form.

Among their most recent work, 2017 saw the release of "Adios Paranoia", the lead single from the band's tenth studio album: "Desert Yacht Club". In 2018, following the album's launch dates, which culminated in a sold-out show at the Forum di Assago, another single, "Non torneranno più", arrived to drive the summer tour, which wrapped up in Taormina. In 2019 Negrita took part in Sanremo with the song "I ragazzi stanno bene", more than 16 years after their first appearance at the Ariston.

Two years later came a special live release: Negrita's "Mtv Unplugged", recorded at the Anfiteatro Roma in Arezzo. The live set, broadcast on the Mtv channel, revisits classic tracks from the historic Italian band's repertoire in acoustic form, completely rearranged. Guests of honour included friends and musicians Manuel Agnelli, Piero Pelù and Rkomi. For Negrita, Mtv's unplugged sessions of the Nineties were a genuine point of reference. "So many times, listening to performances by Clapton, Dylan, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, we'd say to each other: how great would it be to be in their place?", Pau recalled. The tracklist includes the classics "Mama maè", "Rotolando verso sud", "Che rumore fa la felicità" and many other hits.

In 2025, Negrita announced their return to Lp with the concept album "Canzoni per anni spietati", preceded by the single "Noi siamo gli altri".