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MAYA AZUCENA BIOGRAPHY
*Grammy winner, Featured Artist on Best Reggae Album: Stephen Marley '07/08
*Best Female Vocal, Best Overall Vocal, and Best R&B Vocal: ABC Radio Networks’
Fame Games EFFIGY AWARDS 2008
*Best Female Vocalist nominee: Soul Tracks Readers Choice Awards'06 & '07
*Album of the Year nominee: Soul Tracks Readers Choice Awards '07
*Best Live Performer of the Year: Agape Indie Soul Awards '07
*Best Alternative Artist of the Year: AllHipHop.com '06
Often described as the “hardest working artist I know,” Maya Azucena has planted the seeds for her burgeoning career by touring around the world. To date, she’s shared stages or been on bills with legendary artists, vets and newcomers from the worlds of R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Rock. Artists such as Roberta Flack, Roy Ayers, Vernon Reid, Stephen Marley, Martin Luther, Jaguar Wright, Joss Stone, Leon Ware, Richard Bona, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane, the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, Anthony Hamilton, Platinum Pied Pipers, and John Legend comprise the partial list. In addition to criss-crossing the US with riveting performances, she's toured cities in China, Philippines, Canada, Italy, and England as well as Stockholm, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Croatia where Croatian superstar, Gibonni enlisted Maya’s vocal talents for a track named “Andejo U Tebi” (''Angel In You''), that consequently won 2 Croatian Grammy awards (or PORIN, as they are called). The critical acclaim for Maya has been worldwide and diverse in its acknowledgement of her undeniable talent.
Maya’s soaring and sensual performance as a featured artist received a 2007/08 Grammy certificate for producer/songwriter (and son of the legendary Bob), Stephen Marley’s song “Let Her Dance,” from his latest Universal/Tuff Gong CD “Mind Control.” An upcoming single with popular dance producer Bob Sinclair promises radio play. Upcoming recording collaborations with HipHop artists in the underground scene include Immortal Technique, Cheeks (Lost Boys), Dres (Black Sheep), Hasan Salaam, Doujah Raze, and more. Maya recently had the Number 3 spot on BILLBOARD’S Hot Club Dance chart with the single, “Make It Happen” on Kult Records. Her recent Jason Fisher-directed video, “Set you Free,” is in rotation on BET-J. Her voice may even have grabbed your attention through the national NAIR commercials in "The Less You Wear" and “Short Shorts” campaigns plus others like Gillette, Johnson & Johnson, Icy Hot, Macy’s INC, Mike's Hard Lemonade, and Longhorn Steakhouse. Maya’s focus, however, lies with her own band that has built an avid following throughout the world wherever they've traveled. Her sound has been compared to Roberta Flack, Chaka Kahn, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott. What lies in common between all comparisons is the high energy, excellent live show and huge range.
In line with her belief that music is a tool for healing and activism, she supports humanitarian causes with her voice. Maya sang on Washington DC's historic Mall at the
Save Darfur Rally against genocide in the Sudan, in solidarity with national activists and celebrities such as Barack Obama, Al Sharpton, and George Clooney. She was commissioned to write two original songs for IFC documentary Lockdown USA; was invited two years in a row to be the official post-race entertainment at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in NYC’s Central Park; and produced Hope Night, a night of domestic abuse awareness which included NY’s Governor David Paterson as a one of the speakers.
As Performing Songwriter Magazine puts it: “Maya Who?! Won’t be a question people ask for long.”
PRESS QUOTES:
"Junkyard Jewel is - People's Music. Truly a blast of fresh air! ...Her incredible voice is out there in 3D and we are all better off for hearing it in it's purity."
– Brian Michel Bacchus (Soul Feast Music; A&R/ Blue Note Records, Norah Jones)
“…storytelling lyrics and soulful, soaring vocals.” – Billboard Magazine
“...a soul superstar in the making” – SoulTracks.com (World’s 1 soul music website)
“The Best Pipes at SXSW” – Austin Chronicle
“Junkyard Jewel…a remarkable new singer’s album” – Recording Magazine
“Maya has a very beautiful, soul voice… and she's very convincing with what she is singing about" – Stephen Marley
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