Meet Maya Manuela

We were lucky to catch up with Maya Manuela recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maya, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

My practice of refueling creatively has adapted and changed throughout my life. Recently, I’ve been really inspired by reading. I love to consume other people’s creativity, whether it’s literature, paintings, music, etc. There are times when I create really deeply about my own life and my own experiences but I’ve also been aware of how unintentionally draining that can be and how it can subconsciously lead to a desire to create chaos in my life in order to have something to write about. So I’ve been really intentional about finding inspiration outside of my own life lately. I get a lot of ideas when I’m out in nature, I grew up on the water and have always had a really deep connection and affinity for it. I used to write songs as a kid out on the boat when my dad and I would go lobstering. I think creativity is something that everyone has and everyone has access to, it’s just a matter of how much we let ourselves play with it and express it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a singer-songwriter currently based in Nashville, TN. I spend most of my time writing songs, whether that’s by myself in my house or with other songwriters in studios. This past summer I headlined my first tour which was absolutely incredible and also a huge step outside of my comfort zone. I’ve always been more comfortable writing than I have been performing but it was really a joy to learn a new skill and to step into a new part of myself.

Getting to create and to play with other creatives is my favorite part of being a songwriter. It’s really special and unique to have the opportunity to express creatively and to intimately get to see other people do the same. I always feel like a kid who’s playing make believe with their friends when I’m co-writing. I’m currently in the middle of writing and recording a new album for the fall of 2025. Whenever I’m starting a new project it feels like I’m spring cleaning internally, seeing what still fits and what I want to get rid of and then what I want to call in.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Resilience and the willingness to be uncomfortable have been two of the most important qualities in my journey so far. This is not an easy industry and there are so many times that I’ve had to evaluate if it’s still what I want to be doing. I’ve always said that music is a personal development journey as much as it is a creative one. When you’re an artist you become the brand that you’re trying to sell so it forces you to really self reflect and look at who you are and what you’re doing quite frequently which can be really uncomfortable at times. Determination has probably been the third most helpful qualities in this endeavor, too. The desire to create and to make it has to be bigger than the desire to be comfortable. I feel incredibly lucky to be doing what I’m doing but it is equally as challenging at times.

I would say the first thing you need to develop or improve in these areas is just to make sure that you’re applying them in the right field. The willingness to be uncomfortable is hugely fulfilling when it’s applied to a situation that you really want to grow in and to pursue. I think if I were applying that in the medical field I wouldn’t have the determination to get me through the uncomfortable times because it’s not something I’m really passionate about or motivated in. So the first step is really just making sure that you’re doing something you love. The second thing I’d recommend is having a strong support system. If you can afford to go to therapy I would highly recommend it, it’s been really helpful for me to have someone else to help me self reflect and to change and grow, I also find journaling and just talking things through with friends to be helpful. If you’re not in the place where you have a strong support system or can afford to go to therapy, there are actually a lot of really great resources on youtube. There have been seasons of my life where I’ve just consumed a lot of content that was aligned with where I was trying to grow into.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I don’t have a perfect routine for feeling overwhelmed yet but I’ve found certain things that really help me when I feel like my life is kind of growing out of my control. Eft or tapping has been a very potent immediate relief for me when I start to feel overwhelmed. I’m also a huge fan of breath work (I love breathe with Sandy on Youtube) and journaling, although sometimes if I’m super overwhelmed journaling can kind of make it worse. I find that a lot of times I need to help my body release some of the nervous energy I get when feeling overwhelmed, so going for quick walks or runs can be really helpful. Writing out lists and just trying to get information down and out of my head has been a technique I’ve leaned into recently as well,

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mayamanuela.com
• Instagram: mayamanuela_