Check Out Maya Davidoff’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Davidoff.

Hi Maya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I always wanted to make music, but for a long time I didn’t have the courage to admit it, mostly to myself. In middle school and high school I went to an arts school and studied drama. I’d peek into the music department and wish I was part of it.

When I finally told a good friend from that department that I wanted to sing and write songs, he took me by the arm and formed a band (just for me) so I couldn’t back out. I still wasn’t brave. I’d write vulnerable lyrics and then change them. I didn’t look at the crowd. I won’t get into how I felt before every show (short version: like I was dying).

But the community around me, competitive as it was, was so supportive, even musicians from other bands. They saw something in me I couldn’t see in myself, and every one of the endless times I wanted to quit, they didn’t let me. I’m forever grateful.

After high school we all went our own ways, and music became my secret again.

Four years later I decided I had to jump, just for one year, and study music. After the entrance exams I went home instead of waiting for the consultant, sure I wouldn’t get in. I did. My first year I was too scared to participate, and I realized quitting without giving the school (and myself) a real shot would just be lying to myself. In my second year I auditioned for the elite courses and got into all of them. That’s when my journey as a musician actually began. I majored in songwriting and composition and minored in composition for musical theater.

During and after my studies, my outlet was writing for other people. Back home I built a career around writing: a song for the TV series The Malevolent Bride on Kan 11, an EP for Artlist, a musical I co-wrote that’s now in development at one of the national theaters, and more.

I believe you can make music in any language, from any place. For me, it’s always been about people. In October 2024 I visited New York and played an open mic. The owner offered me a residency on the spot, and that’s when I knew I had to move.

I’ve been in LA for a year now, running from session to session, and I love the city and the industry. About six months ago I realized I was ready to fully pursue my own artist project. Since then I’ve performed and headlined multiple showcases, and last month I released my first single, “Selfish.” There’s so much more to come: more songs, albums, and new chapters.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course not.
The biggest struggle for me was internal. It took me years to admit I wanted to be an artist and not only a writer behind the scenes. Even saying out loud that I wanted to be a writer was a step.

There have been plenty of “no”s too, and some hurt more than others. But I’m thankful for where I am, and for where even the rejections led me.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a pop singer-songwriter based in LA. My songs are conversational and hook-driven, kinda like texting your best friend at 2AM, with a warm, cinematic feel. I love the different sounds of words and enjoy playing with them, building stuffed cadences into my music.

I’m proudest of the distance between the girl who couldn’t even say she wanted to pursue music, let alone look at the crowd, and who I am today. I believe in my songwriting and in my artistry.

What sets me apart is that I came to being an artist through the side door. Many artists work their way toward sync. I took the opposite route. I was a drama kid, then a songwriter for TV, theater, and other artists, so I know how to build a hook and how to tell a story from a stage.

My music is mostly for anyone who’s ever rewritten a text ten times and sent it anyway.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’m playing We Found New Music on November 18 in LA at Hotel Ziggy.
I’m also in the running to play iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mayadavidoff.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidoff_maya/
• Facebook: live snippets – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLE1DqOnP4c&list=PLe4Ip6RGrHuQ
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mayadavidoff
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7oQEJRiaJCrKR4efyVWVM8