Articles

Joan Osborne’s Brooklyn Muse: A Challenge Well Met

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

2011 was a busy year for Joan Osborne, beginning with Love and Hate, the multimedia music/dance/film production she created and performed as part of Lincoln Center’s... read article

Celebrating Brooklyn in Music

November 6, 2011 by Howard B. Leibowitz

As we approach the winter and move indoors, warm thoughts come to mind about this past summer’s outdoor music scene here in Brooklyn–now known in... read article

Brooklyn Voices – June 2011

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

On his forthcoming release, The King of In Between, Sheepshead Bay’s Garland Jeffreys proudly flies the Brooklyn flag with tracks such as Coney Island Winterand... read article

Brooklyn Music Milestones – June 2011

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

June 6. 1981: Neil Diamond’s America becomes the third top 10 single from his phenomenal album The Jazz Singer, which on this same date is... 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

Musical Fireworks and Hot August Nights

June 6, 2011 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Brooklyn Roads is looking forward to another lively summer of music, despite a few setbacks on the Coney Island front. After 10 rockin’ years, The... read article

Brooklyn Voices – January 2011

January 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

Several Brooklyn artists released new albums in the closing months of 2010. Here’s a sampling of some of the best to get your New Year... read article

Brooklyn Music Milestones – January 2011

January 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

Dec. 7, 2008: In an article titled “Soul Reviver,” The New York Times Magazine chronicles the rise of Bushwick-based Daptone Records. Dec. 21, 1974: Brooklyn... 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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