MAY-A

May-A, a singer and songwriter based in Sydney, delivers brooding alt-pop marked by dreamy melodies alongside a youthful introspective quality. Her independently issued single “Apricots” attracted enough notice to secure a contract with Atlantic, after which she issued her debut EP, the ARIA-nominated Don’t Kiss Ur Friends, in 2021. Additional visibility arrived via her prominent appearance on Flume’s 2022 chart-topper “Say Nothing” and through the stylistically wide-ranging Analysis Paralysis EP that followed in 2023.

Born Maya Cumming in Byron Bay, Australia, she picked up the guitar early and spent her early teens performing her own material on local streets. Her confessional writing centers on relationships, queer identity, and the transition to adulthood. The 2019 track “Fools Paradise,” along with the 2020 cuts “Green” and “Apricots,” showcased her ability to pair sugary pop hooks with an unpredictable vocal edge and a sharp undercurrent of cynicism. The final pair of those singles achieved notable streaming traction, prompting a deal with Atlantic when she was 19; the label then put out Don’t Kiss Ur Friends late in 2021. “Apricots” anchored the project and sustained strong streaming figures, while the EP itself reached number 31 on the Australian charts and earned an ARIA nomination. Following her guest turn on Budjerah’s “Talk,” May-A linked with Flume in early 2022 for the hit “Say Nothing.” On 2023’s Analysis Paralysis she explored a broad palette that stretched from sensual indie pop to fiery grunge.