The London-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist was recently named a 2025 Spotify “Artist To Watch”, another sure sign of her rising star after she was named to the Fender Next “Class of 2024”. Her debut album makes good on that promise by bringing all the elements of her art together — the intimacy, the ability, the inspiration, the depth, the lightness — into one striking work.

We caught up with Maya and had a chat all about the making of The Long Way Round. Read the Q&A below.

Hi Maya! How are you? We last spoke to you during lockdown a few years ago. What has life been like for you since then?

“Yes such a long time ago! A lot has happened !! Life has been so good, I have been making a record since then and have met so many amazing people and experiences so many amazing things within that time, I feel very lucky.”

Speaking of the new record, you’ve just released your debut album The Long Way Round. You must be so excited to have your first full length out in the world! What’s the record about, where did you draw influence from sonically and what does it mean to you?

“I am incredibly excited. This album is an accumulation of influences I’ve had across my life. I really went back to the records I grew up on (like Nora Jones, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Prince) whilst making this records it sounds very nostalgic to me. It’s not about one thing in particular but has little stories from my life, things I’ve learned like not taking life too seriously. There’s a lot of themes of beginnings and ends and cyclical ways of life. It means a lot to me as it feels like a real blanket of my life socially and lyrically.”

Please take us through your songwriting/creative process for the LP. We hear it’s been quite the journey! What was your favourite part? And what did you find most challenging?

“This record was made from London to Devon to LA and back (multiple times). The half of the record that I made in Devon was made in a way I’ve never worked before but completely changed the way I now like to make music best. It was made across two 5 day writing trips with some very talented friends of mine. We’d write and record across those days straight onto tape which made the songs sound very raw which I love. Other songs made in London and LA were digitally recored but some were made spontaneously on tour, some across multiple days and all with amazing people. I’m not someone that likes to write on their own as I love the shared experience. The most challenging part was at the very start of the process, trying to pick a consistent sonic route as I was getting inspiration from such varied places but in the end I decided to let the inspiration run free and go with whatever I was feeling that day.”

What do you hope fans/listeners take away from The Long Way Round?

“I hope they feel comfort from it. There’s also so many genres in this record I really hope there’s something for everyone, whether you like folk, funk, soul, Americana, hopefully you’ll like something!”

Finally, what else is next for you? Do you have any shows coming up to support the album release?

“I have a run of record shop shows across the UK, starting Saturday 29th March where I will be performing songs off the record! More touring plans coming soon!”

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While the 12 songs on The Long Way Round are steeped in soul-pop, they also contain rich strains of country and blues, hints of gospel and choral music, and one full serving of unvarnished funk with the flirty new single ‘Squeeze’ out today.

“This album is a combination of so many parts of me,” says Maya. “I get so influenced by different genres, people, places, and experiences that it’s always felt hard for me to fit my music into a consistent sound or mood. It took me a long time (hence The Long Way Round) to realize that it’s a beautiful thing to have a body of work that explores so many different influences.”

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Produced by Peter Miles, the poignant new song “is about life in simple terms,” says Maya. “It’s about things starting and ending: ‘another day, another end, oh we begin again.’ I’ve experienced a lot of ends in my life as many have, whether that’s friendships and relationships coming to an end or losing loved ones, so this song feels like a reminder to myself and to you to take it slow and that things feel a lot bigger than they are in the moment. It felt only right to have a big emotional guitar solo to fill half the song as everything I wanted to lyrically say had been said.”

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“‘Look At The State Of Me Now’ is about looking at yourself at the breaking point in a relationship,” says Maya. “There’s a big part of you that wants to stay but you also know you’d be crazy if you did. It’s about feeling conflicted as the other side of you wants to make it work. I’m sure so many people have felt this way just like myself. I always love writing in the time signature 6/8 as it feels so much more emotive to me, and as this song is about heartbreak it felt fitting.”

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