Features

Celebrating “Celebrate Brooklyn!” Behind the Scenes with Producer Jack Walsh

June 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

The 2010 “Celebrate Brooklyn! Performing Arts Festival” is off to a rousing start, thanks to opening night gala headliner and Brooklyn resident Norah Jones. With... read article

Celebrity Interviews! New Artist Profiles! Contests! Brooklyn Music Venue Picks! June 2010

June 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

What is it about Brooklyn that intrigues the rest of the planet? Is it something in the water? The view from its namesake bridge? The... read article

ROCKIN’ WITH THE BEEP: Marty Markowitz’s Musical Legacy

April 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Born and raised in Crown Heights, Marty Markowitz is Brooklyn’s biggest cultural booster. The Borough President is widely known for creating two of New York... read article

Celebrity Interviews! New Artist Profiles! Contests! Brooklyn Music Venue Picks! April 2010

April 6, 2010 by Howard B. Leibowitz

What exactly is it about Brooklyn that intrigues the planet? Is it the water, the air, the bridge, the trees, the parks, the beaches, the... 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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