Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Kuriel.
Hi Maya, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Maya Kuriel and my stage name is Maya. I was born in Seattle, Washington to a South Korean mom and an Israeli father. My parents introduced me to music at a young age. When I was a little girl, my dad would play Israeli music and I would sing along in the car, even though I hadn’t learned the Hebrew language yet. Fast forward to middle school, I started a YouTube channel covering my favorite songs with one of my best friends and throughout high school, I participated in a handful of talent shows and performances. It wasn’t until I turned 16 that I started writing my own original music. After visiting several times and falling in love with California, right out of high school, I packed up everything and moved to Los Angeles to study and pursue a career in music. In February 2020, I released my first official debut single called “Intoxicated.” To my surprise, it did really well and gave me a lot of hope for my career. Since then, I have released nine songs and have obtained a loyal fanbase that spans worldwide.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, especially living in Los Angeles. I’ve realized the music industry is very cut-throat. The biggest struggle I’ve had so far has been trying to get more exposure for my music. There is a lot of budgeting that goes on behind the scenes and as an independent artist, everything is out of pocket. Even with the difficulties, I’ve wanted to sing and share my music with people for my whole life, so I can easily say it’s been beyond worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in creating pop tracks where I can share my life stories with an audience I know can relate on a personal level. I’m most known for my breakout single “Bittersweet,” a track that blends elements of dancehall and pop together to create an upbeat sad girl anthem.
What does success mean to you?
For me, success will always be about making a true difference in other people’s lives. I also think it’s important to note that success is success, no matter the size. Success is every time I release a new song or project, success is reaching my first 1,000 streams on a song, success is getting placements in articles (thank you VoyageLA <3). I think it’s so important for artists and creators to take a step back and pat themselves on the back. We’re all creating art and doing what we love. That’s what life is truly about.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maya.kuriel/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mayakurielmusic
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/maya-music-987008208?ref=clipboard&p=i&c=0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Image Credits:
Mike Zahar, Kara Lewis, Kyle Russell, Alex Nagode, Peyton Incollingo
