Zalerno is a young musical force field from New Jersey, where Griffin Salerno (16) and Joaquin Narucki (19) turned a chance jam session into a partnership built on instinct, trust, and raw creativity. Raised in musical households and driven by a love for boundary-pushing sound, they channel rock, pop, and underground energy into songs that are about sharing a feeling rather than chasing trends. Their new single “Curious” is a testament to this—born from a simple riff that cut through writer’s block and constant anxiety to capture the spark that keeps them creating.
How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
It started out as a side project I had by myself. Songs I had wrote that didn’t quite fit what I was doing with my previous project. A good friend of mine once told me “I had a dream last night that you started a band and called it Zalerno”. I couldn’t come up with a name for the life of me. I figured I could just use that. It’s also a play on my last name, of course.
Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
I have always been in bands and playing out with friends and things like that. I have been interested in music for as long as I can remember. I eventually learned instruments and started writing songs and it went on from there.
First concert that you ever went to?
My first concert that I can remember was Twenty One Pilots. Great, great show.
What's your writing process like?
It’s different every time. Usually I’ll start with something on the guitar and build from there. But it really depends. Sometimes I’ll come up with melodies in my head and go from there. Sometimes the whole song comes quickly, and sometimes it takes a while.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
These days I listen to so much music and so many different things inspire me. One I can say is my father (James Salerno of Cyclone Static) is definitely a big inspiration. I find myself writing similarly to him and it’s funny because I do it by accident. He’s always been an amazing writer, so I’m totally cool with that. I also get inspired by things that aren’t music, like art, a certain vibe a place will give me, people and how they interact with each other, and more things like that.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be it's own thing?
Playing live is crucial for music. It’s a whole other world. Seeing someone live brings a whole new energy and vibe to how you hear their music and it’s a great thing when the artist can pull it off well. I think it’s up to the artist whether or not their live shows sound like their recordings or not. Either can be super cool.
What's up next for the band?
We have our first single out and an EP that is scheduled for the end of the year .