CIAO MALZ is the project of Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Malia DelaCruz, in collaboration with guitarist James Chrisman (Sister.) and drummer Felix Walworth (Told Slant / Florist).
Originally from Connecticut, DelaCruz relocated to New York to attend St. John’s University in Queens, and she soon rented a studio space in the Lower East Side. Here she began experimenting with her sound, while also collaborating and performing with Brooklyn’s acclaimed Sister. trio, but it wasn’t until 2021 that she felt ready to begin self-releasing her own recordings under the CIAO MALZ name (pronounced “Chow MaaaahhhLz”).
Her music first reached the Audio Antihero label when she issued a cover of Frog’s “You Know I’m Down” sleeper hit in 2023. Impressed with demo material like “Your Winner,” “Always Be My Maybe,” and “Circumstancey,” the label offered to work with her on this debut.
On her most eclectic, complete, and unrestrained work to date, CIAO MALZ takes inspiration from Jordana, Elliott Smith, Jerry Jeff Walker, Frog, and Men I Trust to combine an honest introspection, that’s informed by her experience as a young woman of color, with a layered sonic bounce.
CIAO MALZ Home Video:
Press for CIAO MALZ:
“The debut EP from this solo project of NYC-via-Connecticut Filipino-American artist Malia DelaCruz is a promising set of charming, expansive, lo-fi indie pop.” – KEXP
“The EP is a work that celebrates restlessness and idiosyncrasy. DelaCruz’s songs are slight and sometimes sparse, yet they are never boring. Her melodies rarely move as expected, darting and drifting atop hypnotic mazes of instrumentation. Some of the record’s most blissful moments come as these tracks’ knotted guitar work resolves into soaring choruses, pivoting between unconventional indie melodicism and clear-eyed pastoral pop songcraft.” – UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE
“The sounds across the EP are reminiscent of the sugary and luscious indie musicians of the 2010s like Girl In Red and Men I Trust. Silky plucked guitars reverberate and warble like currents over the infinite blues of a deep lake of mellow ambience from bass and unintrusive rhythms.” – POST-TRASH
“I gotta say I dig the vibe so far. I’m not sure whether to call it twee rock or indie pop or just straight up indie rock, but the execution is crisp, the emotion is raw, and I find myself enjoying the song every time it comes on.” – INDIE SHUFFLE
“An unfiltered and achingly raw blend of bedroom pop’s DIY immediacy with indie folk’s dreamy warmth and wonder, Safe Then Sorry is a beautifully candid, confessional collection of hard-won life lessons and truths, personal anecdotes and cherished memories. It’s a record of self-reflection and self-discovery that brings us closer to ourselves, all while introducing CIAO MALZ as an exciting new voice in the indie/alternative space.” – ATWOOD MAGAZINE
“Expertly crafted pop songs…It already seems likely that DelaCruz has a big future.” – KLOF MAGAZINE
“It’s an EP that rewards careful listening, with the kind of nooks and crannies that only can come from an artist approaching their work with a sense of exploration rather than a paint by numbers fealty to any particular genre or sound. It’s the kind of project that invites multiple listens, and when you check it out you’ll want to make sure that at least once that you listen with headphones.” – THE ALTERNATIVE
“The EP feels grounded, raw, and real—a snapshot of an artist in motion, unafraid to lean into the messiness of creation. It’s an honest, emotionally open debut that leaves you wanting to hear what’s next.” – GOD IS IN THE TV
“…the warped propulsion of “Two Feet Tall” suggests a true gem of ’24 could arrive right at the end of it.” – VANYALAND
“The CIAO MALZ sound pairs equal parts upbeat energy and probing introspection to explore themes of identity and love in young life….Lead single ‘Two Feet Tall’ introduces the project to the uninitiated, embodying the release’s unguarded nature with lush textures and a binding sense of forward motion.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES
“The winning combination of voice, lyrical content, and overall atmosphere makes the likes of British indie-folk visionary Richard Dawson a fitting musical comparison for MALZ’s approach as the well-considered stylings of Elliot Smith and Jordana.” – ANALOGUETRASH
CIAO MALZ Resources (Interviews, Features, Sessions):
Additional Interviews, Features and Sessions:
2025: WFUV (Radio Session & Interview) / Atwood Magazine / WVKR (Radio Session with Jack Hayter) / Spectrum Culture / AnalogueTrash (Pride Playlist) / BFF.FM (Radio Session) / East Village Radio (Radio Session) / Rainbow Rodeo Magazine / Joyzine / The J-Card Podcast (Interview / Mixtape) / Brooklyn Roads Magazine / Brainrot Radio / I Have That On Vinyl / J Interviews / Pick a Disc / 2024: For The Rabbits / A Grrrrl’s Two Sound Cents / MusicNGear / If It Be Your Will / Love Music; Love Life / Abominations / Amplify the Noise / The Daily Music Report / Get Music / Blood Makes Noise / Dandelion Radio / Nuts on the Radio (Radio Session #1 / Radio Session #2) / Eclectic & Electric / O.F.I. Monday Radio (Artist of the Week Interview / Radio Session)
CIAO MALZ Links:
Bandcamp / Spotify / Linktree / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / TikTok / Soundcloud / Bluesky / Threads / Hype Machine / Wikipedia
Audio Antihero 