Artists On Our Radar

Okai Drums Up Spirited Rhythms and a Strong Sense of Community

April 6, 2013 by Azriel Wallace

Is Brooklyn in the house? Of course it is! Where else can you discover the best hidden talent? One of the borough’s artistic finds goes... read article

Xenia Rubinos: Making Musical “Magic” in Greenpoint

October 6, 2012 by The Brooklyn Roads Team

Avant-garde indie artist Xenia Rubinos came to New York, knowing that music was her life mission. She began making choices to move farther along that... read article

Yarn Puts a Brooklyn Spin On the Alt-Country Sound

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

“I’ve been waiting so long for you to comfort me, but this boy has moved on,” sings Blake Christiana , bittersweetly, about his home town... read article

Bright Days Ahead for Shenandoah and the Night

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

What do bluegrass, jazz and burlesque all have in common? They’re all part of Shenandoah Ableman’s musical influences. Her band, Shenandoah and the Night, also... read article

Christine Vaindirlis: Right at Home a Long Way from Home

June 6, 2011 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Christine Vaindirlis is living proof of our contention that, musically speaking, all roads lead to Brooklyn. Having called London, Milan (where she trained under La... read article

Annika Vitolo Takes It to the Streets

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

From BAM to Broadway, Annika Vitolo’s parents exposed her to a variety of cultural venues, but her favorite musical moments while growing up in Brooklyn... read article

Full of Soul and Inspiration, The Sweet Divines Live Up to Their Name

January 6, 2011 by Howard B. Leibowitz

The Sweet Divines, four young ladies who sing old school soul, live up to the expectations raised by their evocative, self-descriptive name. This is no... read article

Brother HijinX Takes Their Music and Roots Seriously

September 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Brother HijinX is a rock band that grooves hard, incorporating funk elements, odd sounds and textures, and extended improvisation into their music, complemented by strong... read article

Bass Instinct: Johnny Pisano Works And Plays Well With Others

June 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Johnny Pisano has been “on the horizon” for some 15 years and counting, and as the ultimate team player he Is comfortable just outside the... read article

Sweet Soubrette – Heed This Siren’s Call

April 7, 2010 by David K. Moseder

Sweet Soubrette front woman Ellia Bisker took up the ukulele because, with her small hands, “It’s easy to reach the chords, which helps me to compose... read article

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Artists on our Radar

Ciao Malz: Music With a Storyteller’s Charm

WFUV NY Slice Session- photo by Gus Philippas for FUV

Brooklyn’s indie scene is home to countless rising talents, and one that stands out is Connecticut-born, Brooklyn-based artist Malia DelaCruz better known as Ciao Malz . A self-taught musician and engineer, Malz has a gift for crafting indie pop songs that are both clever and unpolished in the best way. Her latest release, Safe Than Sorry, a four-track EP released in December 2024, showcases her evolving approach to songwriting and collaboration. Growing up surrounded by classic rock, folk and indie music, Malz was drawn to the art of storytelling. “I like songs that feel lived-in, a little rough around the edges but full of heart,” she tells Brooklyn Roads. The DIY nature of indie music was a revelation that made her realize that imperfections could be part of the sound. That perspective shaped her songwriting process, which she describes as intuitive and sometimes surprising, “It’s hard for me to tell where the songs are going at first, but the choruses are catchy.” After attending college in Queens, Brooklyn quickly became her creative home. “There’s always new and different music playing from cars, coffee shops, even the fish supply store,” she says. Playing alongside the borough’s talented musicians has kept her inspired and motivated. Among Brooklyn’s many venues, Union Pool holds a special place for her, for its intimate performance space. First featured on WFUV’s NY Slice in 2021 and once again on March 20, 2025 with her warm, dreamy single, “Always Be My Maybe,” Malz has played venues like Baby’s All Right, Bowery Electric and Pianos NYC. Her latest EP came together in an unexpected but organic way. While working on other artists’ music, she asked a band to stick around after a session to help flesh out some of her songs. “We were able to turn them into full songs pretty quickly,” she recalls. The experience shifted her perspective on collaboration, as she comments, “in the past, I had done everything myself, but after making that EP, I think of it differently.” Ciao Malz is an artist worth watching. For those looking for music that’s deeply personal and full of heart, she’s one to have on your radar.

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