MAETA – The Crown Jewel of Neo-R&B

Photographer JANA SCHUESSLER @janaschuessler
Creative Director/Cinematographer JOSHUA M. CHÉRIE CHERY @m.cherie._
Stylist LISA SMITH CRAIG @lscstyling @wemergenetwork
Makeup KSENIYA BERNKHARDT @kseniya_bern
Hair ANASTASIIA TEREBOVA @anastasiia.terebova
Production Assistant CASSIDY COCKE @cassidy.ac
Location W HOLLYWOOD HOTEL @whollywood
Fashion Assistant ESSENCE CARSON @essencecarson

As an R&B head, I’ve always been partial to the sub-genre known as neo-soul. In reality, the term is inherently contradictory. The root “neo” comes from the Greek word “néos,” meaning young, fresh, and new. And soul. Well, soul is timeless. Soul is omnipresent. Soul is forever. Artists who create under this discipline walk a fine line, drawing from traditional soul elements while introducing ideas and sonics that are not only of the time, but futuristic and forward-facing.
  Los Angeles-based artist Maeta has perfected the neo-soul balancing act. The Indianapolis native has one of those rare voices that is both new and refreshing yet eerily familiar, drawing listeners into her world of contemporary R&B, neo-soul, house music, and singer-songwriter lyricism. The 24-year-old songstress carved her niche in a sea of emerging talent through her endearing artistry and authentic approach to her genre.
  Maeta’s first full-length EP, When I Hear Your Name, was a breath of fresh air. It caught the attention of a devoted fan base and music industry icons alike, eventually earning her a spot on Chris Brown’s 2023 album 11:11, followed by an invitation for her to support him on tour. She’s been steadily evolving since, releasing a danceable house music EP with her frequent collaborator, renowned house icon Kaytranada. Diving into the early stages of her official debut album, Maeta hints at a new chapter in her sonic journey. She describes a “grungier and grittier” take on pop music, an ambitious far cry from her previous work. Balancing soulful musicality with raw introspection, Maeta’s music pays homage to the complexities of love, life, and the self-discovery of young adulthood.

In past interviews, you’ve continually expressed your gratitude for your parents’ support and the freedom to be yourself. How has being given this support early on in life helped you to express yourself as an artist?

I’m from Indianapolis, Indiana. I’m a Midwest girl. And yeah, my household was so free. I always talk about how we never had to lock doors. My parents would let me just invite all my friends over and I didn’t have to ask, you know? We were just such a free household. Music was playing all the time and there were instruments everywhere. My parents let us do whatever we wanted. I think that’s where my creativity comes from. I don’t like to limit my dreams, and I think a lot of that comes from my childhood. I am very grateful for my parents. They see the world in such a big way. No dream was too big for them.

What was it like making your first big move from Indiana to Los Angeles? Do you now feel acclimated to LA culture?

I am totally acclimated to LA culture. I mean, I’ll always be an Indiana girl, just in what I believe and the way that I act. But when I first came to LA, I wasn’t scared at all. I was so determined to make my dreams come true that I had no fear. I was ready to take on whatever happened. But then I got here and things just got crazy. I didn’t have money. I was taking the bus everywhere. I didn’t have friends. I was so depressed. I went through a lot of things for the first time. I was so inexperienced in life when I got here. I was quickly put into a lot of difficult situations and I only had myself to deal with them because I was out here alone. So, I found comfort in a lot of strangers and in sessions, just the people I was around.

You’ve named a melting pot of creative influences to your music, from singer-songwriters like John Mayer and Leona Lewis to R&B titans like Jasmine Sullivan and, of course, Beyoncé. What is it about these artists that have had a lasting impact on you?

I mean, they’re all so different. I think Beyoncé, obviously, has a strong work ethic. She’s just untouchable, you know what I mean? Like she just does things and you’re just like, nobody can do this.
I’ve studied Jasmine Sullivan’s voice and always talk about Yeba’s influence on me. They’re just untouchable vocally. They are just people you can never stop learning from. John Mayer is more of a childhood artist that I would listen to. My dad would play him all the time. He has a nostalgic, comforting feeling. It’s one of my dreams to have a song with him.

I’ve been spending a lot of time with your latest EP, Endless Night, a house music project completely produced by your frequent collaborator over the years, Kaytranada. You explained that you wanted to give the fans something to dance to for the summer. How was the transition from writing more introspective and melancholic music to these upbeat house anthems?

I worked with Kaytranada back in 2021 on “Teen Scene,” featuring Buddy. That was one of my first big songs and the first big music video I shot. We loved that song so much that we had to build on that chemistry. I love dance music, so the transition wasn’t hard at all. At first, I was a little worried about how the fans would receive it, but at the end of the day, I just feel like music isn’t always supposed to be so serious. I just wanted to make something to dance to for the summer. We had this song that just felt right. We had a few of them that we were working on for my When I Hear Your Name project, but they just didn’t fit, so we finished those songs and they came together seamlessly.

The legendary James Fauntleroy appears a few times on this record, and you’ve also worked with him on your last project, When I Hear Your Name, with “Sexual Love.” What was the writing process like with James in the studio?

I love being in the studio with James. I’ve been to some sessions that weren’t even for me. I was just in the room watching. I love watching him work because he’s just so sure of himself. He doesn’t ask for anybody’s opinion. He’s like, here’s your song, take it or leave it. He’s just so clever, and he writes the most genius lyrics in about 30 seconds. It’s just like watching a wizard, but he’s so laid back and funny. He’s just cool and talks shit.

You were on Chris Brown’s last album 11:11, on the track “Best Ever.” Is it true that you were presented with the song just two days before the album came out? Can you explain this story and how it felt in the moment?

Just days before the album came out, I was sent the record and was told that Chris needed a last-minute female feature. I had to learn the song within an hour and immediately went to the studio. They were rushing me. I recorded it, they approved it, and it was out within a few days. But I’m proud of that and I’m so glad that I did it. It’s been all blessings since then.

Was it surreal to get that first call from Chris’s team?

Honestly, no. I try not to get too excited when I want something or get a major blessing. I avoid thinking about it or making it into a big deal because I don’t want to jinx it. Sometimes things don’t work out. I feel like I’ve trained my brain to not get excited about things until it happens. Even when I found out I was going on tour with him, I was like, okay, whatever, you know what I mean? And then the first night, I’m like, what the hell, I’m opening up for Chris Brown and my name’s under his on all these flyers and billboards. This was my first arena tour with a huge artist. It was crazy! And I just get so sad every time I think about it because I had the time of my life. We have all those cliché stories of tour life, you know? The tour bus broke down, backstage stories, so many funny videos on my phone from the tour. It was my first time having background dancers and singers on stage with me. I miss it. I just can’t wait to be in arenas again.

Can you share any crazy tour stories?

The first show was horrible! The stage had holes all over it. I was the only performer who was wearing heels. I was the only person who had to manage walking around the stage. In the first show, my foot fell through a hole about twice, so I stepped on my skirt. My voice cracked for the first time on stage ever. It was so bad, but it was only up from there. Every time I think about that first show, I’m just like, oh my God.

In past interviews, you had mentioned hating the idea of a plan B. What role does going with your intuition and committing to your dreams play in your creativity and work ethic?

I totally still live my life like that. My mom is such a hippie and she taught me about manifesting when I was a kid. She always taught me to kind of assume that your dreams havealready happened. You have to visualize where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. A lot of my mindset and the things that have happened in my life come from my mom and how she trained me to think when I was younger. I still believe in that. I feel like if you have a plan B, you’re giving the universe or your brain an option, and it might not work out.

How do you deal with moments of self-doubt?

Every time I go through something, I drive to the beach at midnight and just lie in the sand, look up at the stars, and pray. That’s my thing. I like to do that. I just like being in nature. When I question my life, it just feels grounding. But I don’t know, sometimes you just have to let it pass. You have to try to get some peace of mind, right?

You have an extremely busy schedule. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

There’s this new bar in Silver Lake called Barr Seco. I’ve been going there almost every weekend. We just sit on the sidewalk and drink wine and talk. Also, music is still a hobby for me. So, a lot of times, I’m at home playing the piano or doing my makeup. Everything I do is always very creative. I love making music, even when it’s not for work. Music fulfills me.

What can we expect from your official debut album coming out soon?

We only have a few songs done right now. I’m getting into my sad girl era. It’s very lovey and very musical. There’s a ballad where I’m singing my heart out. I’m slowly trying to move into the pop world, but it’s all very soulful and musical pop music. There’s a lot of rock and guitar influences. It’s grungier and grittier. There are so many things that I want to talk about and sounds that I want to play with. I feel like I have so much freedom right now. I’m kind of losing my mind, but I’m veryexcited about it.

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