In the dynamic and rapidly shifting world of music, where artists often face the challenge of defining their sound amidst fleeting trends, it’s rare to encounter a voice so distinctly self-assured and authentic. Our guest today is Maya Kuriel, a Korean-American singer-songwriter who has embraced these challenges and handled them with a deep sense of purpose and creativity. With a musical journey that began in childhood and formal education in songwriting and music production, she has beautifully merged personal experiences with technical expertise to make a sound that will impress from the very first listen.

Maya’s latest single, Liquid Courage, depicts the interplay between social anxiety and the quest for self-confidence – a theme that many find relatable. In this conversation, we explore the inspirations behind the young singer’s work, the creative processes that shape her music, and how her background in beauty, fashion, and mental health advocacy shaped her artistic vision. 

View of the Arts: Before discussing your music, I wondered what got you into music and how you realised that music was the way forward for you.

Maya Kuriel: I truly can’t remember when I didn’t love to sing. There are videos of me at 4 years old in little butterfly wings singing into my dad’s camera. Throughout my childhood, my parents always played songs in the car on my way to school and would be surprised when I would know all the words or what track number a certain song was on an album. I’ve always loved music and I’m grateful they helped me realise that at such a young age! 

VOA: You have recently released a new single called Liquid Courage. The song describes the challenges of social anxiety and the need for confidence. What inspired you to tackle this subject in your songwriting, and how did you ensure that both the lyrics and music conveyed these emotions?

MK: Liquid Courage reflects my own experiences in social situations, and it’s a topic I know resonates with many people around my age. I remember the phrase “liquid courage” being used often while going out with friends, and I always felt like I didn’t need it, though it seemed like the perfect little boost of self-confidence. I have some social anxiety, so a nudge of “liquid courage” is helpful in those situations!

I think Liquid Courage captures both social anxiety and self-confidence through its lyrics and music. It embodies tension and release. The verses and pre-chorus build that tension and set the tone for experiencing anxiety in social situations. Then, when the chorus hits, you can feel the immediate release in the production. I love how the shifts in the music align with the lyrical content. I think it’s cool when that happens.

VOA: Moving from the darker verses to the explosive chorus in Liquid Courage is striking. Could you walk us through your creative process in structuring the song this way, and how you used this shift to sonically represent the journey from anxiety to self-assurance?

MK: I wanted it to feel exactly how a night out needing some “liquid courage” would feel. The verses are tense; you can almost feel the anxiety in my voice, whereas the chorus is explosive. It feels like a relief – when you can just let loose and be your most confident self.

VOA: Having recently graduated with a Songwriting and Music Production degree, how has your formal education shaped your approach to creating music?

MK: Going to school for music was challenging. Music theory is challenging; I called it musical maths. The amount of formulas I had to learn was insane. But, I loved it. In school, I learned to produce and write songs in all different genres from jazz to rap which gave me a lot of perspective. My education gave me the push I needed to continue to evolve in my music career.

VOA: You’ve garnered over 2 million streams since you started releasing music in 2020. How does this growing success impact your creative direction?

MK: Weirdly, I don’t think it impacted my creative direction in the music. I feel like I’ve found my sound and I enjoy making dark pop music, even if nobody was listening. I will say that the growth makes me want to go 100% harder on the creative direction surrounding my visuals and marketing. The amount of people who have given my music a chance and have fallen in love with my songs from seeing a video on there makes me excited to reach brand new audiences in the future. 

VOA: With your background in beauty and fashion, how do you see these elements complementing your music, particularly in the context of Liquid Courage? Do you view your aesthetic as an extension of the themes you explore in your songs?

MK: For Liquid Courage, the cover art and the visuals portray that darker tone that’s in the music. We played with darker studio lighting, black, dark green, and dark blue clothing. I had the idea of playing around with nighttime visuals as well. I feel like that’s very fitting considering when I wrote Liquid Courage, I was picturing a party or a club at night, going out with friends. I view my aesthetic as an extension of those themes. It’s one of my favourite parts of the journey. I have fallen in love with creative direction! As soon as I finish writing a song, I’m already opening Pinterest and creating a mood board.

VOA: As someone who began singing at such a young age and started writing music as a teenager, how has your artistic journey evolved over the years? How do you see this evolution reflected in Liquid Courage compared to your earlier work?

MK: I think it’s done a 180 over the years. In the last couple of years, I’ve found and honed in on my sound. It feels great because, for a while, I would subconsciously try to sound like other people. Liquid Courage represents a new direction for me. I haven’t made music like this before; this is my first time diving deep into dance-pop, and I loved experimenting with the new sound!

VOA: Your vocal style is powerful. How do you approach the challenge of delivering emotions through your voice while maintaining technical precision? Are there any particular techniques or practices that help you achieve this balance?

MK: Thank you! I’ll be honest, I think I still struggle with this a bit. It can be hard to find a balance between the two! My heart wants to deliver the emotions within the song when I perform and my brain wants everything to be pitch-perfect. Still, I practise every day! 

VOA: As you continue to build your career, what are some of the key messages you want to share with your audience through your music?

MK: I want to touch on mental health awareness. A lot of my lyrics talk about my mental health struggles, but I would love to take action and help out in any way I can as well in the near future. 

VOA: If you could collaborate with any artist to remix Liquid Courage, who would it be and why? How do you think their style could add a new dimension to the track?

MK: John Summit, Dom Dolla, Fisher would all be so sick. They all have such distinct sounds. I would just be excited to see what new ideas they would bring to the table. I want to make it happen.

VOA: As a songwriter, you must constantly write songs. How do you decide what song to record and release? And where do you feel the most creative?

MK: This is hard because there are so many unreleased songs sitting in my vault that I would love to release. When I write a song, I occasionally get an overwhelming feeling that I need to release it. I will also play it for my team and get their feedback. But sometimes, I just know. I feel most creative in my apartment, just sitting at my piano. I sometimes get overwhelmed trying to write in a producer’s studio on the spot. I prefer being at my place because I’m comfortable, it’s low-stress, and I feel like I can say whatever lyric comes to mind without worrying that it might be “dumb.”

VOA: You recently supported SAAY, a Korean Soul and R&B singer, in LA, how was that experience for you?

MK: It was incredible. She is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. She was extremely welcoming and I was very honoured to be able to support her. My mom was fangirling over her!

VOA: Are there any new projects in the pipeline for this year?

MK: More music, I would love to open for a big artist on a tour, perform at a festival, perform in Korea…I have a lot of goals. I’m excited to see what the future holds! I have lots of new music in the vaults, so I’m eager to share it with everyone.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image © Demarcus O’Dell

_{View of the Arts is an online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.}