Olly’s audience sings songs in his face

Some videos, which have gone viral on social media, they show Olly’s audience singing, or perhaps better yet shouting, the songs in his face. Very high decibels, just like the emotional transport of the fans. In some moments even the Genoese singer-songwriter remains amazed, almost embarrassed, and responds with a “you are crazy”. He also did it in Turin where we saw him live at the Teatro Concordia. Riccardo Zanotti, pen and soul of the Nuclear Tactical Penguinssomeone who, like it or not, knows a lot about pop, during the presentation of the band’s latest album “Hello World”, explained that in his opinion there are few artists of new generation able to speak to multiple generations. One, Zanotti argued, is undoubtedly Ultimo. Another, now growing, is Olly. And he also admitted to singing his songs at the top of his lungs in the car when he returns to Bergamo and visits his mother.

That Olly is experiencing a magical moment isn’t just what Zanotti says and it’s not just the charts that prove it, but it’s confirmed by the amount of live tickets he’s selling. He has over twenty sold out club dates between now and May next year and has already filled several venues scheduled for October 2025. In February, with always by my side the faithful Jvli, the musical genius sculptor of his soundwill also be on stage at the Sanremo Festival, a return after the one in 2023 with “Polvere”. But why does Olly have these spotlights shining on him? You just need to go to one of his concerts to understand it. The secret, which isn’t a secret, are the songs. Olly is the one who singshe doesn’t have a character to play. The Genoese singer-songwriter is part of a new group of artists, very young, perhaps raised with rap as in his case, but who has decided to find his own precise identity through the writing of pop songs with a generational slant that put feelings, life stories, stories at the center. A light pen also put at the service of others: “Desperate Love” by Achille Lauro it also bears Olly’s signature. Pieces such as “At the top of my lungs”, “Those memories there”, “Bianca”, “The washing machine”, “Scarabocchi”, “Devastante” or “Thank goodness there’s the sea”, with a tribute to “The Fisherman” by Fabrizio De Andréthey are sincere, well written, they are sung as if they were stadium choirs, and they outline a world away from the narrative of rap or trap, but also from a lot of pop frivolity.

They are not “mass-made” songsthey may or may not like it, but their authenticity is immediately recognisable. And this “truth” is perceived and perceivableand it’s one of the reasons why this big boy, who grew up playing rugby, is making headway. In what he does, even in the most emotional moments, there is never a tearful sentimentality: Olly, even on stage, is self-ironic, does unlikely dances on the most electronic pieces, takes the microphone and places it between his legs, drinks Montenegro, jokes about sex, creates a direct relationship with the audiencemuch more varied in terms of age than one might think. And when you need to aim for the heart, aim directly, avoid turning around, without rhetoric or sermons. Olly is a son of Vascowhose songs accompany his entrance on stage and of which he covers, acoustically, “Vita spericolata”. His album “Tutta vita” is a sort of manifesto of his journey. Sight unseen, without knowing anything about the song he will present at the Ariston in February, we make a bet: he will make a great Sanremo.