Maya Delilah On Nostalgia, Breaking the Mold, and Chasing Her Dreams

Posted On April 2, 2025

Samantha Colleran, April 2025

Maya Delilah is a London based artist best known for her impeccable guitar skills and introspective songwriting. Despite recently being named by Spotify as a 2025 Artist to Watch, Maya has been releasing music since she was 19. Her career has taken a number of different turns, but the release of her debut album The Long Way Round, released on March 28, has solidified her as a vital talent in the current music climate. 

Maya’s London roots have influenced her musical journey tremendously. Growing up in a North London jazz band allowed her to expand on her jazz roots and taught her how to improve solos. She describes the London music scene as a collaborative environment where she learned to appreciate a wide variety of genres. She became independent quickly; London is a large city where you have to fend for yourself, which pushed her to meet and work with new people.

Before pursuing music full time, Maya considered becoming a surgeon. She quickly realized that science wasn’t her strong suit and instead stuck to playing guitar and writing songs. She decided to transfer to BRIT School (alumni include Amy Winehouse, FKA Twigs, and Adele, to name a few) after a conversation with her mother who asked her what Prince would do if he were given the choice between being a surgeon or pursuing his true passion. 

When Maya first began playing guitar, she learned by ear and without the use of a guitar pick. Playing without a pick allows her to get in tune with the instrument and showcase the emotion of the guitar. Taking the academics and technicality out of learning how to play guitar also enhanced Maya’s ability to connect with the instrument. Some of her musical inspirations include John Mayer for his songwriting and guitar skills, and Derek Trucks (Derek Trucks Band), who Maya admires for his ability to play with such feeling and deep emotion. Other favorites include Joni Mitchell, D’Angelo, Anderson .Paak, and Bob Dylan.

The hardest part of creating The Long Way Round was Maya’s belief that she had to have a consistent sound in her music. She draws inspiration from a number of genres, which made it hard for her to narrow down how she wanted the album to sound. Instead of conforming to the norm, she came to a place where she was okay without fitting into a specific style and simply created music that felt true to her. Throughout the process of writing, Maya found it easier to stop writing lyrics whenever she said the things she needed to say. Less is more, fluffing up a song for the sake of making it longer or having more lyrics can weaken its overall message. 

Many of the songs featured on The Long Way Round encapsulate nostalgia. “Begin Again” highlights some of Maya’s firsts; her first kiss, the first house she lived in, the first car she ever owned. Tracks such as “I’ll Be There In The Morning” and “Look At The State Of Me” are about past relationships. Other songs are written about her childhood or specific moments in time, and she even draws inspiration from her friends’ lives to capture how they felt going through different life experiences. When writer’s block struck, she knew it was time to experience something new, or take on a different perspective.

“Squeeze” is a standout that will capture listeners. Maya explains that the song was born from a writing trip in the English countryside with a group of musicians who would write in the morning and record in the evening. “Squeeze” began as a jam between her drummer and bassist while they were eating dinner. Everyone was in a good mood, which is reflected in the silliness of the lyrics. It’s an upbeat, funk inspired track that showcases Maya’s musical versatility. “Maya, Maya, Maya” is one of the most poignant moments on the album. Maya describes the first line being born out of her desire to appear whimsical, as the writing progressed it took on a more serious tone. As a chronic people pleaser, the overall point of the song is to remind listeners to not be so hard on themselves, to stick to who they are and not be taken advantage of. 

Creating The Long Way Round has led Maya to look back on the past and think of the future, something she is grateful to be able to do. She hopes the album feels like a soft landing spot for listeners, that they find a sense of home in her art. When writing and recording, Maya was listening to albums and artists she grew up on, which further pushes the nostalgia aspect woven throughout the album. With themes including the simplicity of life and returning home to yourself, it’s a gentle listen, best for a chill Sunday morning. 

You can follow Maya on Instagram to stay up to date on future releases, tour dates, and all things The Long Way Round. Stream on Spotify, Apple Music, or anywhere else you get your music!