BY BRITTANY DANIELLE for WEEKLY VOLCANO 3/13/26 |
Is Danny Malo our own Batman? He may not be fighting crime in the traditional sense of a superhero, but he does have a Batcave, and he is a hero to musicians in many ways. He also has a tiny assistant, Whitney. She is no Alfred in the Batman sense, but she is his assistant.
Tucked in the downstairs of a house is a wall of synthesizers, a vocal booth, a collection of cool microphones, and a solution to a void that many musicians face today: quality live videos.
In order to understand how Malo got here, we need to know a little more about where he came from.
Being an independent artist these days usually means you have to be multifaceted. You are an artist, yes, but you are also a sound engineer, a producer, maybe you make your own merch, and you book your own shows. Whatever it is, you are wearing multiple hats and barely have time to do much else.
When it comes to multiple hats, Danny Malo has more than I can count on two hands. He is a videographer, podcaster, musician, and producer, to name just a few things listed on his website. He is also the father of Whitney, a little black Pomeranian, and like many artists, he has a day job as well.
As stories often go with musicians, when we have a need we either find a way to pay someone to fill it or we do it ourselves. Malo is someone who likes to learn the ins and outs of each corner of the music world, so he does it himself.
Malo has been playing music for as long as he can remember. He plays guitar and saxophone and sings. Eventually the saxophone led him to a Seattle-based ska band, Good On Toast, where he currently plays tenor sax. You can also catch him around the area playing guitar and singing originals and covers.
Malo’s growth from musician to DJ was happenstance, as many things in life tend to be. He recalls, “I had a standing gig at a bar (Ballyhoo) in Olympia where I played guitar and sang every other week. The Evergreen women’s rugby team were regulars there and loved my songs, but needed an emcee and asked if I could DJ for their holiday party one year. I bought a set of turntables and that was that.” Though he still DJs, it is now mostly by request or for corporate gigs.
The same thing happened with producing. “At one point in Olympia, after having recorded so much of myself and gathering the gear to do so, someone noticed and asked if they could record at my place,” he said. “That catapulted into many studio iterations over the years, and it is still evolving to this day. Helping other artists discover their music’s potential is the goal. I also work as a sound engineer for local venues like the New Frontier regularly to keep on the pulse of the scene.”
The final piece that ties all of this together is videography. Danny Malo has the gear needed to capture high-quality video from multiple angles. He is someone who wants to do things well and is constantly upgrading his equipment whenever he gets the chance.
What initially started as a review of his own performances has become a turning point for many local artists. “Initially I took videos of myself performing to learn what needed work,” he said. “I was having a studio session with Kenny Callahan and thought, why not use this to promote his song and the studio? It got a lot of attention online and I realized there was something special about the video format.”
Malo explained why the format matters. “As a performer, the first question you often get asked by venues and potential gigs is, ‘Do you have any video of you playing?’ This feels like a small barrier, but it is difficult to get high-quality video and audio from your friends holding their phones during a show in a dimly lit bar with background chatter happening.
“Additionally, you likely have fans online and locally who cannot always make it to your shows in person, whether for fiscal, physical, or logistical reasons. These videos provide a way for your art and performance to still reach them. Lastly, nobody complains nowadays that they have too much content. This is another way to feed the insatiable appetite of the algorithm.”
This is where it all comes together. With his knowledge of the music industry, his production experience, and his videography skills, Malo is serving his local community by filling a need. Musicians need content and high-quality videos. He has the space, the equipment, and the knowledge, and he uses it to support the music community.
When asked what has been rewarding, he replied, “Getting to work with super talented local artists like Byland, Champagne Sunday, and Kitty Mae. Tacoma is a loyal and tight-knit artistic community. This felt like a very niche underground commitment until one day I walked into a venue and there were several artists who had done sessions at the studio, and they all yelled my name in unison. It was like being famous in that moment.”
Danny Malo continues to work with musicians in the area, filling the need for content and video. He also does production work and looks forward to new challenges this year, including filming outside the studio.
His YouTube channel offers a snapshot of the local music scene. Could you be his next collaboration?
Follow the work of Danny Malo on Instagram: @djmalostudios, YouTube: @djmalostudios, or on his website at www.dannymalo.com.
