Get to Know Maya Amolo, the Next Gen of Alt R&B All About Sweet Vibes
One thing rising alternative R&B star Maya Amolo can be counted on bringing to the platter as the next generation of the continental and global spaces of the niche she occupies are good music, saucy spunk, and sweet vibes. Lilting all the way from East Africa and into the hearts of her listeners, it has been three years since the burgeoning Kenyan vocalist introduced herself with her maiden release, Asali. And true to the album’s name (Swahili for honey) and her moniker The Sweetest Girl, the Nairobi-born songstress-cum-producer’s presence has livened the flavour of the contemporary alternative R&B scene. And the best part is that she’s just gotten started.
“I was surrounded by artists growing up, with my mom being one and all. Our house was very musical, like, I’m not new to CDs, VHSs, and tapes and all those things. So, music as an art was very much a part of my life from a very young,” Maya said of her humble beginnings, recalling a childhood furnished with music.
Maya Amolo | SUPPLIED
Gearing up for her next release, Maya dropped her single, “Look the Other Way”, which she revealed was inspired by a little anecdote of hers. True to the sentiment that social media isn’t real life, Amolo recalled the turn of events of finding herself stumbling on people who spoke about her online and yet couldn’t keep the energy when they found themselves face-to-face with the subject of discussion.
“In many of the songs I make, I write about what I’m feeling. With ‘Look the Other Way’, I was in a situation where there were these girls talking a lot about me on social media, but when they saw me in real life, they decided to look the other way. I thought it was beef, but I can’t call it that either because of how one-sided the whole thing actually was. And when it happened, I was like, ‘No way!’ So, I decided to write about the experience, and I found that it came easily to me. The online persona and the person in real life don’t usually match, and that’s what the song is about.” she said, laughing off the inspo behind the song.
Listen to “Look the Other Way”:
The “Guidance” singer touched on the cruciality of blocking out the noise of naysayers and listening intently to the directions of her inner voice and the paths it was telling her to take with her artistry.
“When it comes to my music, I’ve learned not to be shy and to just have fun when I express myself. You know, not subscribing to a certain standard that other people might have for me. I think there was a time where there were critiques being thrown around about the type of music being made, and people were asking why I was singing in this language and why I wasn’t using certain instruments. And that left me feeling quite lost for some time. But I quickly realised that if you are dishonest about what you put out, if you’re not true to you, then you cannot convince the next person to take you seriously. So as long as I’m honest, my work will always resonate with people,” she said.
The self-styled Sweetest Girl assured her followers that her next project would have more depth and experimentation, but without sacrificing any of the sugar, of course.
“Expect the unexpected,” she said, chuckling. “I’m kind of diversifying at the moment. Back home, I call myself ‘The Sweetest Girl’, and because my first album was based on the idea of sweetness, it came off a bit too one-dimensional. Now, I want to explore all types of sweetness. For example, while there’s caramel, there’s also salted caramel. You get chilli, but you can also have sweet chilli. So, my next project is going to be all about exploring a lot more dimension to that universe of sweetness.”
Maya Amolo | SUPPLIED
Inspired by the likes of Tems, Amaarae, Jhene Aiko Brandy and Monica, Maya spoke about what mattered most to her as a rising alternative R&B artist, citing that while making good music was the aim, what made more impact was something else.
“I would like to be remembered for being a good vibe, for being kind, and for being fun to be around. I want people to feel comfortable and safe when they come to my shows, and to be known for the fantastic music I make. But I do want to emphasise that while being known for great music is cool, being remembered for having good character is what I want,” she said.
Maya reflected on stewarding her singing gift by taking care of her body and her mind proactively as well as not slacking off in developing it.
“One thing I believe in is taking care of my body and my mind, which reminds me that I need to get back to the gym. Such things help me stay on top of making music. There’s also eating healthy and surrounding myself with good energy at all times. Talent is a gift and it needs to be honoured, and the way to do that is to continue being curious about music, making more of it, singing often and taking care of it in a well-rounded manner,” she said.
Maya Amolo | SUPPLIED
The songbird shared some of her favourite activities when not making music.
“When I’m not in studio, you’re going to find me taking walks. Another thing I love is being at fashion pop-ups – I love streetwear. What I love the most about South Africa, and being in Johannesburg, is how fly everybody is. So, if I’m not recording, I’m out looking for all the fashion pop-ups. I also like drawing, and if I’m not doing anything of those things, you’ll probably find me in the kitchen, eating all the food there is,” she said, giggling.
Amolo wrapped up the conversation with lofty ambitions of becoming a world-renowned star in the alt R&B space.
“I see myself on tour all over the world. Booked everywhere. Like, I’m coming to Jo’burg to perform, and then going to Croatia for a studio session. I would like to have global reach, so one thing I’d like see myself become is an artist doing world tours,” she said.