What makes up a tree if not its roots, its core, its branches? Each branch is unique but they form as one. The branches of Designer, Songwriter, Musician, Artist, and Singer all connect at the root of this upcoming new artist who embodies the branches of art into one. Maya imani is a growing artist whose core is creativity. From her core, she has become a renaissance artist who knows there’s no stop to the heights she can reach. Maya combines the musicality of jazz and soul with influential sounds of modern Pop and R&B. Her lyricism and vocal style are metaphorical and unique. She reaches high, amidst the clouds, while still firmly rooted in her truth and faith. She can turn a feeling into a journey, her words into a catchy melody. Her artistry soars free and there’s no telling how far. From the iconic poem by Maya Angelou (whom she was named after) called “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” the first stanza beautifully captures her story arc:
“The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips (her) wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky..”
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips (her) wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky..”
This is further illustrated in her most recent record entitled ‘Cloud9.’ In this album, we get to know Maya imani’s pain and growth as she navigates life and relationships. It starts off with hesitant yet determined lyrics that show a vulnerable side. She’s letting us know that she hasn’t felt at home in life, but she’s going to do whatever it takes to change that and no one is getting in her way. You will hear a grounding sense to the sounds with light-felt melodies that offset any minor tones. This is a commonality in her music as she juxtaposes dark and light. She plays around with the timbre of her voice, while also staying strict to her core melodies. ‘Cloud9’ was a self-written and self-produced record, that is ultimately the beginnings of Maya imani’s sound and artistry. In it, the listener catches a glimpse of her views on life and her story.
Maya Imani Barnes, known also by her stage name Maya imani, is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and artist born on July 9th in West Palm Beach, Florida. She was only two weeks old when her family moved to Fresno, California where she was raised.
Ever since she was a little girl in elementary, she would go off on her own and write lyrics. Early on, she learned the common arrangement of a song and would write out her lyrics in the ABABCBB form. Labeling the Verses, Chorus, or Bridges respectively. The words would flow, and they became tangible. She wrote her first full song at the age of 7 and kept a journal of several more as she continued to write and come up with melodies. She would also perform with her friends in front of her classmates in her early years, convinced they were the next cheetah girls. She was always dreaming and moving forward, never wanting to be stagnant. However, things started to change as she got older. She was watered thoroughly for a while, until one day it seemed she would never break through to the top. She became more secluded and shy as the doubt and self-consciousness sinked in due to her circumstance. and she couldn’t sing out as loud as she once did. Not until she started to put herself back out there through dance, did she experience a drastic change. Hip-Hop became a love and talent she didn’t know she possessed. She joined a talent performing group and did numerous live performances at fairs, such as the Big Fresno Fair, other venues, events, amphitheaters, and malls. From this group, her confidence grew strong and she got back into doing more with her art.
She moved down to Long Beach, California in 2016 to continue her education and has been living there since. She performed in a talent show during college and was the lead for the music team of an on-campus club. After pursuing her goal of a college degree, Maya dove back into music in a profitable way. Fast-forwarding to ‘Cloud9,’ her first distributed release that is available on streaming services such as SoundCloud, iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify.
Maya imani’s creative process is nothing short of a flow of inspiration and life-experience. Her melodies come through thought reflection and note play. Her lyrics derive from her life stories, and her music is created by the strum of her guitar or with her favorite DAW. She would quote that her inspirations are too numerous, however, some influences that brought her to her own unique sound from a young age are India.Arie, Leona Lewis, Emeli Sande, Whitney Houston, Jessie J, Jill Scot, Tank, Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Her own unique blend of the influence of these artists, led her to her original vocal cadences and style.
As the Visual & Performing Artist that she is, Maya imani is sure to be a ground-breaking and sky-reaching artist that will not be caged, but will continue to rise free and soaring. As she continues to make moves in the music industry, stay tuned for more original songs and live performances.