Mayaeni (mah-yay-knee), rock and soul singer from Detroit, Michigan.
Read Full Bio ↴Mayaeni (mah-yay-knee), rock and soul singer from Detroit, Michigan.

Raised in a suburb just outside Detroit that she describes as racially pretty segregated, Mayaeni—pronounced mah-yay-knee—was actually born to rock.

Growing up in Detroit, she spent a lot of time not necessarily knowing where to fit in. Her mom is black, her dad white.

Hanging out with her musician dad in the studio was Mayaeni’s form of grooming, with Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and Hendrix records serving both as musical surrogates and soundtracks to her life.

The instrumentally rich and electric songs she creates now are extensions of her rocker past. Her earliest material was recorded on her dad’s 8-track tapes.

Seeking independence at age 17, Mayaeni headed to London, where she made money under the tables selling clothes at Camden Markets.

The cost-of-living struggle persisted when Mayaeni moved to New York, but those survival years turned out to be perfect preparation.

In New York, Mayaeni worked the open mic circuit, up to five times a week, hopping in and out of places like Village Underground, The Grove and Café Wha.

The music is as edgy and raw as it is emotional, like the sounds of a guitar crying out, whether it’s the yearning in the mid-tempo anthem 'Million N1' or the angst in the clamorous rock-out garage jam 'Too Late.' It's the sound of progress.