Opening the 2023 season at several luxury hotels, Maya was seen celebrating “BAYRAM”, in the last week of April, a holiday when Ramadan ends and there is a celebration of life. In Turkey, during Bayram, people celebrate something like a spring break and eat candies representing the sweetness of life and gratitude.
Maya curated a special evening to inspire and showcase all the songs from her new EP, I AM ENOUGH, as well as perform her greatest songs spanning her entire career. The night included many Maya’s dear friends including Morley with Chris Bruce, Girl Be Heard Ensemble, Timo Ellis, J Swiss, Chesney Snow, Intikana, Chris Rob, Amy Goddard on violin, Amy Kang on Cello, and her band, David Joubert, Chelsea Baratz, Ivan Katz, Shaun Bass, Arin Maya, and Shay Leonia.
Brooklyn nights are unmatched when summer comes early! An 80 degree evening and a blazing hot all-star show produced by and starring Miss Maya herself. Crossing every genre giving top voice: soul, pop, blues, funk, covers by Prince and Billie Holiday to beat boxing (!!!), string arrangements…It was a night of ALL KILLER NO FILLER!
Maya was one of 40 special guests that presented at this virtual gathering, The Sacred (R)evolution® Global Festival. The Sacred (R)evolution® Global Festival was a 5 day virtual transformational event to catalyze a radical ancient future consciousness shift starting April 1st!
Maya’s friend Lainie Love Dalby teamed up with the Ecstatic Embodied Leadership Academy to gather over 40 Global Luminaries, Visionary Leaders, Spiritual Creatives, & Stewards of the New Earth who will each be interpreting one of the 52 cards in my Sacred (R)evolution Oracle and bringing their own unique medicine and gifts to the celebration.
Sometimes a photo can capture the energy just right, in the way it felt to be in the moment as it was happening. Maya was deeply honored to be an artist and to have the privilege to share the stage with phenomenal humans such as Gibonni and his musician family, and even more honored to sing for THE PEOPLE, nearly 40,000 people collectively.
Awards Update: I AM ENOUGH music video WON THREE awards including, “Best Music Video” at One Earth Awards, “Best Music Video/Song” at The Bettiah International Film Festival, and “Best Documentary Music Video” at the PARAI Musical International Awards. Listed as a finalist at The European Cinematography Awards, for “Best Music Video,” as well as being an Official Selection at ELEVEN (11) International Film Festivals.
Sunday January 15, 2023, the new series Boğaz İçinde Caz aired Maya’s second concert on TRT, Turkish national television. Boğaz İçinde Caz invited Maya to perform some Jazz inspired songs on a boat gliding down The Bosphorus water strait between the European and Asian sides of gorgeous historic Istanbul.
After quite a long discussion, the Indie Boulevard team chose the five most memorable EP’s of the year.
HRT CROATIAN NATIONAL TV broadcast of “Na Božić s ljubavlju…Nikša Bratoš i prijatelji” (Christmas with love..Niksa Bratos & Friends). Maya was a special guest at the star-studded Live Christmas special. Performing several songs including a duet feature with Gibonni, and “Oh Holy Night” which was actually divine, as the song says.
Maya had a wonderful 12-page editorial feature in Guitar Thrills Magazine along with gracing its cover where she shared lots of wise words and experience from the journey.
Genuine individuals are also sincere, and honest. They are real, and are of more value than gold. However, some may believe that this gift exposes them, or makes them vulnerable. I liken a genuine person to having a heightened sense of awareness. They have the need to be considerate, respectful, and compassionate. Traits that are not often experienced in the music industry. You possess these qualities without vulnerability. Remember, you have a heightened sense of what is happening around you. This contributes to what you know, and how to respond accordingly.
To be genuine and sincere, can be rewarding and build confidence. It gives reassurance, that “good things” can come from being genuine. Yes, this requires trust as well. Which is not easy, nor should it be given freely. You could say that could say vulnerability is a life course leading to hurt and aguish. However, establishing expectations of what could happen will enable you to become stronger. Based upon my experience, allowing yourself to become vulnerable is an easy way to open yourself up for disappointment. The application of this topic can be used to improve your relationships with all sorts of people. Especially to those that you work with in the music industry.
I admire someone that is genuine and is ready to be considered vulnerable. Especially in an industry filled with sharks. Despite the warning signs. Honestly, you can’t move about the industry, without seeing the warnings. “Don’t swim with the sharks”, “No wake zone”, “No lifeguard on duty”, etc.”. All of the signs are visible. However, your design to be genuine in all things, out ways the possible danger. Remember though, you have a heightened sense of awareness of what is going on. You know the sharks exist, but you approach with extreme caution. Taking nothing for granted.
If you know my style of writing by now, I really like to dive into anything related to the music industry. Good, bad or indifferent. If it’s a topic, that can be applied, I will jump all over it. I think there is an advantage to living life “vicariously”. This is not a word that is used every day. You can define it as experiencing life in the imagination or actions of another person. So, you can live with presumed vulnerabilities, but not having to experience the pain that “can” goes with it.
In this interview we can experience the genuineness and sincerity of our guest Maya Azucena.
Read full story here.
A big thank you to all who support Maya’s music. You’ve played her songs over 60,700 hours in 2022! May the music continue to bring light and inspiration to someone when they need it most!
