Inspired by artists like Elliot Smith, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Men I Trust, Ciao Malz combines witty introspection with a layered musical bounce. Her new EP Safe Then Sorry spans the genres of Indie Rock, Alt. Country, and Folk Pop, and will be released on December 6. If you’re curious to get a taste of what the EP will sound like, you can check out the free/pay-what-you-want single, Two Feet Tall on Bandcamp.

Can you talk a little bit about your musical journey? How did you get started?

I remember keeping track of which of my friends had a piano when I was a kid. I never took formal lessons but playing came naturally. I played clarinet through high school but was never the type to take anything seriously back then. Everything changed when I got Garageband, I spent years recording guitar, and piano, and trying to figure out how to make a song that sounded complete. It wasn’t until 3 years ago when it started to click. I met someone who knew how to mix and learned from there. That changed how I thought about music, and I haven’t stopped since. 

Your press kit begins with a blurb: “If you had an EP, CIAO MALZ would listen.” That suggests to me that you’re interested in a wide range music, especially indie artists. Is that fair to say?

Yes, that checks out! I grew up in eastern Connecticut which is surprisingly country-like. I grew up listening to a lot of country music and secretly obsessed with Eminem. I sort of turned tumblr-emo for a minute in middle school which migrated to hipster which kind of explains the final destination of indie music. I will honestly listen to anything if someone gives me the link. 

Who are some indie artists you’re into?

No surprise, from the Audio Antihero connection but I am a huge Frog fan. I also love Jordana, Men I Trust and I’ve been listening to a lot of MJ Lenderman lately.

I understand that your cover of Frog’s “You Know I’m Down” led to working with the Audio Antihero label on releasing your forthcoming EP, Safe Then Sorry. What attracted you to that song, and how did you put your own spin on it?

I was initially attracted to the warm tape recording and the catchy keys. Lyrically,  ‘All the people want are covers’ was really relatable for me. I love how he coughs for a second and leaves it in. I was on vacation in Colorado and had a guitar and hand-held mic with me. I didn’t have any of my own ideas to record, so I recorded this. I tried to replicate as much as I could from my memory of the original. 

The title of your EP is interesting. What does it mean to you to be safe, then sorry?

Safe then sorry is choosing all the right things in life but still ending up with regrets. Safe then sorry is a lifestyle dilemma between playing it safe or taking your chances in a double-or-nothing scenario. I think about this fictional scenario a lot, but I haven’t figured out what I would do. I hope to not end up safe then sorry about it. 

Your press materials mention that your music combines witty introspection, informed by your experience as a young woman of color, with a layered musical bounce. How might those two elements of your music complement each other?

I think I have a unique way of seeing things. Between a stressful job and doing music, I feel like I’m living in two different worlds. When it comes to making music I’m witty with the lyrics, but rhythmically I create a lot of resistance rhythmically. 

I love the single, “Two Feet Tall.” What inspired it?

Two feet tall is about avoiding doing things until they blow up in your face. I tend to put things off, in this case, a difficult situation because it’s hard to tell people stuff that matters! I had this squiggly guitar riff going while watching a New York Liberty game and it turned into the first line, ‘drinking all the milk and missing all the three-pointers’. 

What was the recording process like for Safe Then Sorry? Did you do everything yourself?

I had written the songs through a trial process I do called ‘record bass, guitar, and vocals for 1 verse and a chorus”. Once I had a few that I wanted to record ‘for real’ I asked my friend James if they would come to the studio so we could record us playing guitar at the same time. So we did that and although it was hard to do without an engineer, it did have a better feel than two separate recordings and it was fun!

How do you think your songwriting has evolved since your early demos started attracting attention?

I personally feel that my songwriting has gotten better since the early demos. The first few songs felt like a race to get to the end as I was new to it. I’ve put a lot more heart into these songs and focused on staying on topic. 

What’s on the horizon for you? 

Working on more music! I deeply loved collabing on this album and I plan on setting up more sessions with my friends. Getting help on this EP makes me want to help out on other people’s records too. 

Photos by Alex SK Brown.