Maya Azucena

Maya Azucena
Background information
Genres R&B, Soul, Acoustic,
Occupation(s) Singer Songwriter
Years active 2001-Present
"Get It Together" (2010)
"Get It Together'" is gospel

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"Junkyard Jewel" (2010)
"Junkyard Jewel'" is soul

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"My Back's Not Up Against The Wall" (2010)
"My Back's Not Up Against The Wall'" is Reggae

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Maya Azucena is an American singer-songwriter and cultural ambassador from Brooklyn, NY. She attended the LaGuardia School of Performing Arts. She independently released her debut CD "Maya Who?!" at shows and from her website.[1]

Musical career

Solo Work

Collaborations

Maya sang a duet with Stephen Marley on his 2007 record Mind Control. Her performance helped the album win the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.[6]

Maya performing live with Gibonni, September 2007

Maya has developed a successful musical relationship with Croatian singer Gibonni. She sang on his 2006 album Unca Fibre, which garnered two Croatian Grammy Awards (aka 'Porin'). Aside from appearing on two his records including aforementioned album and Acoustic/Electric, Maya has joined him in extensive touring and television appearances throughout Europe. She has also collaborated with album On je moj Bog, by Croatian musical group "Emanuel" and on album Veliki umovi 21. stoljeca, by band "Bolesna braca". Maya also participated on live concert of Oliver Dragojevic in Pula Arena 2007.

Maya sang with Peruvian American rapper Immortal Technique on the track 'Crimes Of The Heart' from the 2008 album The 3rd World.

In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Maya sang with emcee Cormega on his tribute song I Made A Difference. The song also featured Redman, The Revelations, and various other artists.[7]

She sings on the new Fitz & The Tantrums album Pickin' Up the Pieces. Maya's Vocals are most prominently featured on the tracks Breakin' The Chains Of Love and Winds Of Change. The album has received critical acclaim and has reached #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.[8]

Maya sang on the 2002 Norman Brown album Just Chillin'. The album won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album.[9]

Maya also collaborated with Jonathan Peters with the song "Music".

Acknowledgements

Activism & Human Rights

Maya has devoted a significant amount of her career to human rights participation. In 2006, Maya sang at the ‘’ Save Darfur: Rally to Stop Genocide" on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in solidarity with Barack Obama, Paul Rusesabagina, George Clooney, Elie Wiesel and numerous other performers, activists, and celebrities.

Maya recently performed as a part of Marcus Miller's concert for Japanese tsunami relief. She sang alongside bassist Marcus Miller, keyboardist Robert Glasper, and rapper Q-Tip.

She wrote two songs for the IFC documentary Lockdown USA, which examines the 1972 Rockefeller Drug Laws. USA

She provided music for Emmy-Winning UN documentarian Lisa Russel's latest film Not Yet Rain, regarding the advancement of Women's health laws and reproductive rights in Ethiopia.

Maya performed two years in a row at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in NYC Central Park. The race is a massive fundraiser for breast cancer research.

Maya produced Hope Night, a concert event devoted to domestic abuse awareness. The event brought together several nonprofit organizations and speakers, including Governor ’’David Paterson’’.

In 2008 Maya and her band did a 5-week US State Department-sponsored tour of Burma, China, Philippines and Sri-Lanka as part of The Rhythm Road/American Music Abroad Program, performing concerts and workshops while appearing national press in an effort to create cultural exchange.

Since then, in 2009, Maya did a similar tour for cultural exchange in Honduras and El Salvador, and will be returning to Honduras for another program.

In response to tours of this nature, Maya was invited to the White House to celebrate the Global Cultural Initiative.

Azucena is currently in the final stages of completing her newest CD titled “Cry Love”.

Discography

Albums

References

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