Born New York, NY, the artist later known as Maluca grew up in the heavily Dominican area of Washington Heights in northern Manhattan. Her DJ father introduced her to Latin music like bachata, cumbia, merengue, and mambo, as well as hip-hop and other club music. Stage fright kept her away from performing until a friend of hers convinced her to sing backup in his rock band, Bowery Riots, and she quickly realized she wanted to be behind the microphone.