Meet Maya Manuela
Written by Daphne Bryant
Earlier this week we had the pleasure of interviewing Maya Manuela, a singer-songwriter from a little coastal town south of Boston, whose surf pop music is undeniably catchy and relatable. read to learn more about maya, her origin story and her identity as a musician.
Q1: First off, I’d love to know a little bit more about your origin story. When did you start making music and how did you know you wanted to do it as a career?
A: I feel like I’ve been writing songs for most of my life [laughs], so it’s a little hard to say what the exact starting point was. I got more structured and serious about it in middle school and continued writing through high school. I took a little break from music when I went off to college and got super depressed; I think it was my body’s way of telling me I needed to be writing and creating so I left school after a year and half and moved to Nashville. That was sort of the turning point [in which music became]a real career opportunity for me, but I honestly knew I wanted to do it as a career since I started writing in elementary school.
Q2: If you had to come up with your own wacky genre to describe your sound, what would it be?
A: Ooh I love this question! For a bit I was calling it indie folk/pop/rock but that was too long. Lately I’ve been calling it surf pop and I think it really fits!
Q3: Love that! Your music is so personal and catchy! Are there any influences or artists who inspire your writing and production?
A: Thank you so much! Yeah I mean Taylor Swift was a huge inspiration when I was younger, she was the first artist I learned about who was writing her own stuff. I loved how personal and real it was for her, too. I’ve had a TON of different influences since then, stand outs have been Remi Wolf, Noah Kahan, Del Water Gap, Maggie Rogers, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, and then some other artists that you really wouldn’t hear in my music at all like Doechii or Kendrick or SZA, but their really potent self expression and dedication to their craft and artist career has been a huge inspiration to me.
Q4: Wow I like the diversity of those influences. According to your TikTok you’re a self-proclaimed Boston girl. What’s your relationship with the city like?
A: Yes! That’s sort of true, I say Boston because it’s the closest well known city but I grew up outside of the city. I really love Boston, I grew up going into the city for day trips but haven’t really had time to explore it more as an adult. I think it’s an amazing city though, I love being by the ocean.
Q5: Interesting! What do you think of the creative infrastructure of Boston: do you think it’s a city made for musicians, or is there a lot of hidden talent bubbling under the surface?
A: You know, I don’t know as much about the creative infrastructure here as I should. When I was younger I didn’t think there really was one at all so I moved to Nashville to be in“ music city” but I’ve been hearing more and more about the scene here in the last few years. I’m really excited to be home for a bit to get more involved in the scene. I think there is a lot of hidden talent, especially with Berklee being in the city. I have to shout out my boy Zane Christopher whenever talking about talent from around Boston, he’s definitely destined to blow up and I can’t wait to watch it happen. Definitely check him out.
Q6: Last month you released“ Devil Couldn’t Reach Me”, a single off of your upcoming album American Doll. What’s the story behind that song?
A: This was a really cathartic one to write [laughs]. It actually happened some years ago so it was interesting to revisit the situation with a new perspective. I wrote it to the girl who“ stole” my ex while we were together. I’m still not sure if there was overlap or if they waited to hook up until we broke up but it was definitely messy and a big betrayal from both of them. The girl and I weren’t necessarily friends, but we knew each other well enough and had always been chill. She was friends with one of my closest friends at the time, too, and I ended up learning that she had been talking about getting with my ex for a while [when] we were still together. It really stuck with me. I know it’s kind of controversial to blame“ the other woman”, but I do think that you can hold both parties accountable in that situation. So Blake and I wrote the song about that experience and sort of used Jolene as a reference track. I loved the idea of having it be like if Jolene had gone through with it and taken Dolly’s man. I truly wish them both the best now but I’m glad I got the song out. It really felt like closing that book for me.
Q7: Is there a musical project you’ve worked on that you feel really encapsulates who you are as an artist?
A: My upcoming debut album! I’m super proud of it, it definitely feels the most“ me” out of any of my work. Make sure to presave it, it comes out November 14th!
Q8: Exciting! In the past you’ve performed at music festivals. What’s the difference between a festival vibe and a concert one? Do you prefer one over the other?
A: I really love both honestly. Festivals are fun because they’re usually a bigger crowd than a concert, one of the ones I played last year had like 15 thousand people at it the day that I played. Concerts are really great too though because you know that most of the people that are there came to see you specifically. It’s really fun to try [and] win people over who are just walking around the festival checking out music so they both have their perks! I would love to play more festivals this year, that’s a long term goal of mine at the moment.
Q9: How do TikTok and other social media platforms play into your artistry? Is social media a way that you promote yourself?
A: I have such a love hate [relationship] with social media. Tiktok was the way I“ broke” as an artist; I was able to go viral with a randomizer filter that I created so I really owe a lot of my career to TikTok. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs with posting on socials, I think earlier in my career I was really affected by it if stuff wasn’t doing well but I’ve gotten to a point now where I just want it to be fun. I want to connect with real people on the platforms and find new ways to share my music and my personality through content. We really are in an unprecedented time where social media can change your life so it’s such a gift. But also such a pressure at times.
“I want to connect with real people on the platforms and find new ways to share my music and my personality through content.”
Q10: I totally get that. What are some of your biggest career aspirations? What do you foresee in your future?
A: Oh gosh I have so many! I would say the sort of next level ones include opening for another artist, I would love to support Remi Wolf or Del Water Gap or Suki Waterhouse on tour. Festivals are another big one for me. I’m super ready to get back in the studio and work on the next album now, too. One of my biggest aspirations [or] dreams is to play Red Rocks. I’ve never been to a show there but from everything I’ve seen about it I think it would be a peak experience for me.
Q11: Finally, what advice would you give to any aspiring musicians out there?
A: Keep going. I know that’s so cliche but if it’s what you love and what you want to do with your life don’t let anything stop you. Be ready and willing to grow, this career forces you to grow in so many ways. Go to therapy if you can [laughs], it’s been a game changer for me. And don’t let the industry get in your head. There have been so many times that I’ve gotten advice from someone in the industry that has turned out to be bad advice. It’s really important to hone your craft and to work at it but try to find what makes you, you. And try your best to find a community with it. I really couldn’t have done any of this without my community in Nashville. But yeah, keep going. It’s going to take a lot longer than you think or want but that’s a good thing, you’re becoming the person you need to be in order to have the career that you want in that time.
