Maya Salafia, an indie/pop artist from Boston, has been crafting pop tunes for over a decade. Now, with an impressive array of original music, she has released three singles and is gearing up for her 10-track debut album, Girl like Her, set for release in 2024.

Active in the music community, Maya frequently performs at festivals and venues throughout New England. Her latest indie/pop single, "Swim," showcases her exceptional ability to blend vivid imagery, emotion, and storytelling with her sharp musical instincts. This song, like her others, invites listeners on a deeply personal and gratifying journey. "Swim" has quickly gained momentum, featuring in nearly 30 blogs and over 50 playlists shortly after its release. Maya writes and performs with a profound dedication to her craft and her audience, ensuring every aspect of her music resonates deeply and authentically.

Her debut single, “First Grade”, was placed on over 90 playlists, has over 30K Spotify streams, and was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2021 International Songwriting Competition. Her next single, “Everlasting” was featured by over three dozen PR blogs where it received unanimously excellent reviews and was also selected as a semi-finalist in the 2022 International Songwriting Competition.

Maya's song lyrics took 1st place and tied for 2nd place in the 2022 Performers on the Go Lyric Competition for her entries, "Drive until the gas runs out" and "Translucent Skin", and in the 2021 Lyric Competition her lyrics took 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Her pop song, “In The Fall”, was the top winner with the judging panel commenting on how they loved the ease of flow, poeticism, song structure and the imagery presented in the song. 

Maya describes her focus on "Drive until the gas runs out" imagery and buildup and getting it all to flow well... "This song is about a relationship ending too soon. I spent a lot of time playing around with metaphors, plays on words and imagery. I knew I wanted this song to build to something but wasn’t quite sure where I wanted it to go until I sat down one day and it kind of just flowed out. Being able to express the internal story, especially through the bridge of the song, was a cathartic process. Just the raw spillage of emotions is what made me love both the writing process and final product of this song.”

In 2024 New England Music Festival Maya was the winner of the Voice with Instrument category and was the recipient of the annual scholarship award. In the 2023 New England Music Festival Maya placed second in the Entertainment event, and Vocal Performance with Instrument event.

In all of Maya’s original songs, whether it’s a ballad or an upbeat tune, she likes to use imagery to tell a story and share her inner world and experiences with her listeners. She employs the practice of “show, don’t tell” with her lyrics, so the songs have a lasting impact, bringing the listener more deeply into the fabric of the stories. Maya’s love for songwriting shines through in her performances and honest lyrics. You visualize the story behind the lyrics and want to hear more.
 
I want people to hear, feel and experience the real, authentic me, and I hope that comes through in my music. I love to use imagery to tell a story in my songs, and to share my true self and a piece of my heart and mind with my audience. I strive to be taken seriously as a prolific songwriter and performer. Nothing makes me happier than bringing my listeners on a fulfilling and relatable journey and seeing them enjoy my music. ~Maya Salafia, singer-songwriter
 
In May 2022, Maya was a finalist in the Hard Rock Café Performers on the Go Showcase, and placed in three award categories, including 2nd place solo artist, 2nd place vocal performance, and winning “Most Impressive Songwriting.”

Maya is active in her school's jazz and a cappella programs as a composer, arranger, pianist, vocalist, and soloist, performing in many assemblies and events. She will be a freshman at Berklee College of Music in the fall. 
 
In the waves of Maya Salafia's latest track 'Swim', we're immersed in the ebb and flow of young love—its rapturous highs and the trepidation of the plunge. Maya masterfully captures the essence of that first leap of faith into love's unpredictable waters. It’s the sound of a heart beating wildly as it teeters on the edge of surrender. This song is a testament to her evolving artistry and an exciting preview of her journey at Berklee, promising even richer tales spun from her soulful tunes and insightful lyrics. Maya’s music is alive with joy and hope. It’s full of melodic hooks, simple eloquence, and poetic beauty that stays with you.

 ~Performers on the Go, LLC