Mayaeni

Mayaeni is a rock and soul singer-songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. Her name is pronounced “mah-yay-knee”.

Background

She grows up in a suburb outside Detroit and describes that area as racially segregated. Her family background is mixed: her mother is Black and her father is white. She spends much of her early musical life around her father’s studio, where she develops her sound through exposure to records by Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Her earliest recordings are made on her father’s 8-track tapes.

Career

At 17, Mayaeni moves to London to seek independence and works selling clothes at Camden Market. She later moves to New York, where she continues through difficult financial circumstances while building her career. In New York, she plays the open mic circuit as often as five times a week and performs at venues including Village Underground, The Grove and Café Wha.

Style and songs

Her music combines rock, soul and electric instrumentation, with a raw and emotional approach. Two songs mentioned in connection with her work are “Million N1”, a mid-tempo anthem, and “Too Late”, a garage-style rock track. Her writing is presented as a continuation of her rock influences and early musical upbringing.