MAIA ZAKAY TALKS YOU HAD 1 JOB

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

I know who you are but I heard you wanted to introduce yourself to everyone?

Yes, my name is Maia Zakay, I'm a twenty-one year old singer-songwriter for RnB and pop-music. My sound has been compared with Ariana Grande, Ella Mai, and Sabrina Carpenter, but I like when people tell me I have a unique voice that is recognizable amongst other artists because I'm always trying to get out of my comfort zone and find something new and different! Hey!

What got you to write ‘You Had 1 Job’?

I first wrote my song 'You Had 1 Job' as a joke. I thought it was funny the way people used the phrase as a meme. One day I randomly showed it to family, friends and my music team and the reaction was truly unexpected because they loved it! They convinced me to take it seriously and make it a real song. Everything happens for a reason because it is now the song I am most proud of and one of my new fan favorites. I wrote this song about being cheated on and how my ex had one job to be loyal to me and failed so I fired him! (laughs). I broke up with him. I wanted to write an empowering, fun, upbeat song about a really sad and heartbreaking time to give people a revenge anthem that makes them feel better if they can relate to what I went through!

How important is it to not just have your music be relatable but also make people feel good?

It's extremely important because my entire purpose for writing and singing is to help my listeners through my music and make this world a better place using my different platforms. When people listen to my music, it's like they're hearing my not-so-secret diary. Each song I put out tells a personal story, and I get told that my listeners really feel my emotions that I put into the songs which is something I take pride in. I want my listeners to connect with my music on an emotional level. I want them to feel that there is hope, no matter what struggles they are facing in life, and realize that they are not alone.

What's a song that has helped you in such a way?

There are so many, but the one that I remember how much it helped me heal from heartbreak best is called 'Truth Hurts' by Lizzo. It has a similar vibe to my own original song so I probably took inspo from it without even realizing (laughs).

You ooze of LA but were actually born in London?

I was born in London, England but moved to Los Angeles when I was six years old, so I eventually lost my British accent.

Except for being this absolute pop–queen, when do you feel the most British?

I feel the most British everytime I'm eating stereotypical and classic British foods that my mom cooks for me because she is still very British and doesn't want me to lose that side of myself.

How did you fall in love with music?

I've always loved music from a young age and sang covers of songs for fun, but I never took it seriously until I reached the age of seventeen. I started going through dark times in my life and needed a way to feel better about the situation. That's when I wrote my first song. I showed my dad and he immediately freaked out and found a producer who brought my song to life. My first day in that music studio is where I truly fell in love with the art of songwriting, singing, and engineering. When I put my first song out and started seeing all the positive feedback on it, like how it has helped others feel less alone and even stopped them from taking their own life a couple times, I knew I wanted to do this as a full-time career. My passion for helping others by also being a mental health advocate is what drives me to continue creating new songs and to keep posting on all socials. Music is basically my oxygen, I can't live without it.

It says something about you that you made your debut with a fifteen-track album not much later?

Wow, thank you!

I am sure non of it's been easy though?

Yeah that's very true, amazing things don't happen overnight, it definitely takes a lot of hard work, failing, learning, growing, changing, persistence, consistency, and so on. I mean, if I could tell my younger-self one thing, it would be this. Don't take anything for granted and make every second count because life is short.

And life can really change in an instant?

I only recently learned it the hard way when I went through one of my worst struggles. In 2022, I lost my singing voice for six months straight and no doctor knew how to help me. I had to use my notes app on my phone to talk to people and no one knew how bad my panic attacks, anxiety, and depression became during that time period. After six months, I finally found the right doctors and got throat surgery, which thankfully fixed the problem.

Although it was one of the scariest things to ever happen to me, the good part is that it helped me say fuck fear. I never again held myself back from achieving my dreams after seeing how much I was taking for granted. It helped me realize that I have a gift, a purpose and a responsibility that I have to share with the world no matter how out of my comfort zone and scary it feels. Now I’m unstoppable and it’s only the beginning!

Where can people continue to follow you?

Thanks for learning a little bit about my story! Tune in for more by following me on other platforms! My name is Maia Zakay on all social media and music streaming platforms! I also go live on TikTok every night to sing and spread my positive message. Hope to see you there!