Maya Azucena

Maya Azucena channels her expansive four-octave vocal range as a singer and composer through material that spans R&B, rock, jazz, gospel, reggae, and additional genres, delivering each performance with genuine warmth and intensity. In tandem with partnerships alongside artists such as Vernon Reid, Fitz and the Tantrums, and Stephen Marley, she directs her commanding voice and songwriting toward her own catalog, regularly issuing fresh singles along with longer-form projects that include the 2011 album Cry Love and the 2022 EP I Am Enough.

Born in Brooklyn, Azucena trained at Manhattan’s Performing Arts High School with a vocal major. Following graduation she contributed to many sessions as a backing vocalist for pop acts while simultaneously developing an acting career and performing onstage in both musical and theatrical contexts. Her independent trajectory took form via albums including the 2003 release Maya Who?!, recognized for its funky and adaptable character, and 2007’s Junkyard Jewel. During these years Azucena maintained extensive collaborations, joining Stephen Marley on multiple recordings that encompass a duet from his Grammy-winning 2007 effort Mind Control, as well as rock band Brass Against, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, jazz players Marcus Miller and Jason Miles, and musicians drawn from varied geographic and stylistic origins. She delivered her third solo album, Cry Love, in 2011 while cultivating a global touring profile that carried her to Turkey, Russia, India, Brazil, Croatia, and South Africa, and she represented America at the International Expo in Dubai 2022. Producer Timo Ellis worked with her on the six-song 2022 EP I Am Enough.