May-a | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Maya Cumming |
| Born | (2001-08-24)24 August 2001 (age 23) Sydney[1] |
| Origin | Sydney |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2019–present |
| Labels | Atlantic RecordsSony Music Australia[2] |
| Website | www |
Maya Cumming (born 2001), known professionally asMay-a (stylised inall caps[2]), is an Australian singer-songwriter from Sydney.[3]
On 2 February 2022, Cumming was featured on the single "Say Nothing", a collaboration with Australianelectronic musician and producerFlume.
May-a grew up inSydney, but moved to Byron in 2010. She moved back to Sydney age 13.[4][5] While living in Byron Bay she competed in songwriting competitions, and performed streetbusking around the ages of 11 to 14.[6][7] She started out posting videos on YouTube under the username Heyit'smaya.[8]
Prior to discovering her attraction to women, May-a stated she was in a "super awkward" relationship with a boy that inspired her song "Apricots".[9]
May-a released her debut single "Fools Paradise" in September 2019. This was followed by "All Girls Aren't the Same", which is a twist ofJuice WRLD's "All Girls Are the Same" and is a song about how women should know their worth, everyone is an individual with different quirks."[10]
On 1 May 2020, May-a released her third single, "Green" saying "'Green' is an outlook on the way that validation fuels the way we live, especially in green teens. Young, impressionable and desperate to be accepted by people they don't even like." adding "I wrote it when I was 15 and bored by the hierarchy of high school. It paints a picture of the things that teenagers think are important until they realise they aren't."[10]
In August 2020, May-a toured withWafia and signed withSony Music Australia.[11][12][13]
Her debut EP,Don't Kiss Ur Friends, was released on 6 August 2021. The EP debuted at number 31 on the ARIA Charts.[14]
In January 2023, May-a released "Sweat You Out My System".[15]
May-a toppedTriple J Hottest 100, 2022 with a feature on Australian musicianFlume's song "Say Nothing". The song was also featured in the 2022 Netflix showHeartbreak High.
In June 2023, May-a released "Lola" and announced her second EPAnalysis Paralysis.[16]
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [17] | ||
| Don't Kiss Ur Friends |
| 31 |
| Analysis Paralysis |
| 70 |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ Hot [18] | |||||||||||||
| "Fool's Paradise"[19] | 2019 | — | Non-album singles | ||||||||||
| "All Girls Aren't the Same"[20] | — | ||||||||||||
| "Green"[10] | 2020 | — | |||||||||||
| "Apricots"[1] | — | Don't Kiss Ur Friends | |||||||||||
| "Time I Love to Waste"[21] | 2021 | — | |||||||||||
| "Swing of Things"[22] | — | ||||||||||||
| "Central Station"[23] | — | ||||||||||||
| "Talk" (withBudjerah)[24] | — | TBA | |||||||||||
| "Junk Truck Head Fuck" (withDMA's)[25] | — | I Love You Unconditionally, Sure Am Going to Miss You | |||||||||||
| "Sweat You Out My System"[15] | 2023 | 38 | Analysis Paralysis | ||||||||||
| "Your Funeral"[26] | — | ||||||||||||
| "Lola"[16] | — | ||||||||||||
| "Something Familiar"[27] | — | ||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | |||||||||||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [28] | NZ Hot [29] | US Dance [30] | ||||
| "Say Nothing" (Flume featuring May-a) | 2022 | 16 | 5 | 12 | Palaces | |
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally asAIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Say Nothing" (with Flume) | Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club Single | Nominated | [33][34] |
TheAPRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by theAustralasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[35]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Say Nothing" (Flume featuring May-a) | Song of the Year | Won | [36] |
| Most Performed Dance/ Electronic Work of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | May-a (Maya Cumming) | Emerging Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | [39] |
| "Sweat You Out My System" by May-a (Maya Cumming p.k.a. May-a,Robby De Sá) | Most Performed Alternative Work | Nominated |
TheARIA Music Awards is an annual ceremony presented byAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of themusic of Australia. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Don't Kiss Ur Friends | Breakthrough Artist | Nominated | [40] |
| 2022 | "Say Nothing" (Flume featuring May-a) | Best Pop Release | Nominated | [41] |
| Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Best Video | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Murli Dhir for May-a – "Lola" | Best Video | Nominated | [42] |
TheJ Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio stationTriple J. They commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "Say Nothing" by Flume featuring Maya (directed by Michael Hili) | Australian Video of the Year | Nominated | [43] |
TheRolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by theAustralian edition ofRolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.[44]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | May-a | Best New Artist | Won | [45] |
TheVanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is an annual competition that "acknowledges great songwriting whilst supporting and raising money forNordoff-Robbins" and is coordinated byAlbert Music andAPRA AMCOS. It commenced in 2009.[46]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Time I Love to Waste" | Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition | 3rd | [47] |
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