Meet ZOCO: Three Ecolint brothers and one shared love of music, Taking over the music world
From their earliest days making music as students at Ecolint to launching their debut album on the international stage, brothers Marco, Paolo, and Matteo Zocco have carried the richness of their international upbringing and their lifelong passion for music into every step of their journey.
What began as a sibling bond strengthened by creativity has grown into ZOCO, an international rock project shaped by the multicultural influences they first experienced at school.
Long before their sound filled studios from Los Angeles to Nashville to Milan, Marco, Paolo, and Matteo discovered their love for music together. All three began at the same place: classical piano lessons at the age of eight, followed by self-taught instruments and endless jam sessions.
That early bond became the foundation of ZOCO and the group is now making waves with their debut EP LUMANISTA (Part 1) and their singles “Restless.” & “Diamond In The Rough”
As Marco explains, “The ZOCO style is eclectic — we draw from many different genres and time periods from rock, to pop, to metal, to electronica, and our philosophy is to collaborate with different musical legends from around the world for every song. This international approach is a direct result of our experience at Ecolint, where excellence is fostered through blending cultures, talents and nationalities.”
And in true Ecolint style, their debut album LUMANISTA features music icons, such as Slim Jim Phantom of the Stray Cats, Carmine Rojas of David Bowie and Rod Stewart fame, GRAMMY-winner Theron “Neff-U” Feemster, and producers Gunnar Nelson (Of the 90’s band Nelson) and Kerry Brown (The Smashing Pumpkins). Legendary mastering engineer Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Metallica) did the mastering on LUMANISTA.
When we invited them to look back on the school memories that first shaped their musical passion, Marco shared this perspective: “I fondly remember one of my favorite things to do in middle school was to play the instruments in the music room whenever I could, during breaks, after school and even between classes when I could swing it, especially before French to help keep me awake.
"I can say that my love for playing live definitely began at Ecolint."
Mr. Davies kept a special black Yamaha electric guitar behind his desk for special occasions, and when I’d walk in he already knew I meant business and he’d hand it over to me. I probably have 100s of hours on that Ecolint guitar. And later when it got built, I was constantly jamming at the Centre Des Arts, which had a great drum kit. I was always able to cultivate my artistry between the curriculum because of LGB’s great playing spaces and encouraging staff. I also founded our first band MDJ (Marco, Darius and Jose, with Ecolint alumni Darius and Jose, still best friends of mine to date) where we played iconic Kermesse performances and several talent shows together. I can say that my love for playing live definitely began at Ecolint.”
That’s no surprise that even as their careers have taken them across the world, the brothers remain deeply connected to Geneva, a city Marco credits with shaping his multicultural perspective. The official music video for “Restless” was filmed in Geneva, a nod to the place where ZOCO’s creative instincts first took root.
For students pursuing creative paths today, Marco emphasises that developing your craft is only one part of the journey; equally important is building relationships in the creative world while maintaining strong academics. As he explains, “whilst you’re in school, all creative activity feels like play, like a break from academic work,” which allows growth without pressure. He encourages students not to hesitate when approaching professionals: “Do not be shy about approaching full-time creatives with the confidence of a legitimate artist, pointing to the experience and portfolio you’re cultivating in your spare time.”
For the Zocco brothers, this combination of preparation and confidence made all the difference. They composed consistently between academic and professional commitments, so that when opportunities arose, they were ready: “We had a lot to show for it, and that confidence made it easy to present ourselves as high-potential artists.” This attitude is what allowed us to meet the great 90s rock producer Kerry Brown, who worked on some of my favorite records by the Smashing Pumpkins, and he later decided to collaborate with us on recording our debut album LUMANISTA at his studio in Los Angeles, and later Gunnar Nelson, frontman of #1 charting band Nelson, who was impressed with their songwriting and offered to produce the LUMANISTA album alongside Marco
Marco’s message to students is simple yet powerful: “Being an artist is a state of mind… If you believe in what you are doing and nurture it with time and effort, you will be ready when opportunity meets preparation.”
From Geneva to Los Angeles, Milan and beyond, the Zocco brothers have turned shared roots and relentless creativity into a global musical project. As they continue to release new tracks from LUMANISTA, their journey stands as an inspiring example of where an international outlook, strong values and a passion nurtured in youth can lead!
ZOCO’s DEBUT EP ‘LUMANISTA (PART 1)’ is SET FOR RELEASE JANUARY 2026 and their full LP ‘LUMANISTA’ in Summer 2026, with a new single from the project releasing every month.
To learn more about ZOCO visit their website and don’t forget to follow them on instagram and youtube. You can find all their links in one here: https://zoco.ffm.to/bio.