Meet Maia Moham

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maia Moham. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Maia, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
It’s taken me several years to really determine what this means. I think as an independent artist it is easy to get overwhelmed and lost along the journey without really knowing what your true purpose is. For me, I feel like I’ve found my answer this year.

I have always been proud of my Persian/Iranian roots, even as a child when the country was often synonymous with “hostage crises” and “terror”. I think this really kept a lot of my fellow Iranian friends afraid – afraid that if they embraced their cultural identity they would automatically be associated with the politics. I think a lot of that has changed this year especially with the rise of a new Iranian Revolution that has called for an end to Islamic rule – a governance which has basically used religion as a tool to commit human rights atrocities against its own people, namely women. This includes unbelievably strict laws about how a woman can dress in public, interactions between people of a different s*x, and even singing or dancing. During this time I released “In The Name of God” in collaboration with another amazing Iranian artist – Sanaz. The song was written to tell the story of the women in Iran, who have risked their lives for freedom, as well as to call out the exploitation of religion in government globally. The response to this song has been overwhelming – it has reached hundreds of thousands of people, been played and translated on the largest Iranian radio station in Los Angeles, and is now featured on the official spotify playlist “Women of Iran” alongside Snoh Aalegra and Sevdaliza. We have also been exposed to a whole new community of Iranian American musicians, artists, poets, and leaders, who all want the same thing that we do – to change the narrative of what being “Iranian” or “Persian” truly represents.

For myself, that means writing music that will change the world. Every song, every performance, every opportunity that I have here in the United States is one that my family in Iran does not have. I make music for them, for my culture, and for anyone who needs a voice where the world is silent. That is my purpose.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Hello! My name is Maia Moham and I am an Iranian American singer songwriter based in Los Angeles, CA. My songs have been featured in the Nike documentary “Lucha”, in the marketing campaign for “Fast X”, and on the official Spotify playlist “Women of Iran” alongside Snoh Aalegra and Sevdaliza.

This past year has been really eye opening for me in terms of what I believe my role is as an artist and what I want to do with my future releases. A lot of that has come from my collaboration “In The Name of God” – a song which is my very first Pop Persian fusion track. We have had such an overwhelming response to that song, with people calling it “tragically beautiful” and “a song that will record history”. I’ve realized that this is because many people truly felt like their voices were finally being heard. The song touches on the story of the Iranian peoples’ fight for freedom and democracy while calling out the exploitation of religion in government – an issue that we have seen globally. It’s mainly orchestral pop but includes the Persian Setar as well as some Persian (Farsi) lyrics.

I’m really grateful for my Persian heritage, and being a child of two 1st generation immigrants has taught me a lot about what it takes to stand up for what is right in the face of adversity. I’ve always been a massive fan of artists like “Bastille” and “Hozier” who aren’t afraid to talk about global issues in their songs. I think a lot of people are hurting right now but there haven’t been many artists willing to talk about it. Because of this, my next EP is going to be centered around modern issues we face here in the US and around the world. It’ll be a fusion of pop, orchestral, and gritty soul all with a Persian twist. I’m really excited to explore this new sonic space while also giving my audience an outlet for their pain, struggles, and frustrations over the last few years. I hope that in the process people will start to see the middle east as a place filled with rich art, poetry, and culture. I want to reduce stereotypes and remind us all of our shared humanity.

You can check out my current releases anywhere you listen to music, I will have some upcoming performances in the SoCal area and you can stay up to date on those on my instagram and tik tok pages. I also just want to say how thankful I am for the support I have gotten thus far and am so excited for what’s to come.

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?
Stay consistent – I think this is so so important. I meet many artists that feel like they are “stuck” or don’t know how to do xy and z. Frankly in this modern age, with the tools we have at our fingertips, I don’t think there is any excuse for not trying things. I try to remind myself that there is always a path forward. If I don’t know how to do something, I learn it. If I feel that I am lacking in a particular skill or skills, I practice it and implement as much as I can until I feel strong enough to move onto the next thing. It’s an ongoing journey, but you can’t call it a journey if you’re not willing to walk the path, take risks, and trust that you will figure it out along the way. Consistency is key to this. I also believe you learn a lot more about yourself from doing than from waiting around for the perfect opportunity. You create opportunities from always showing up for yourself day by day.

Know what you want – I think the more specific you are about what you want to achieve, the more likely you are to open doors that get your there. I set a goal to get my songs in trailers and advertising and ended up landing songs with Nike and the Fast and the Furious franchise. I set a goal to reconnect with my persian roots through music and ended up reaching over 250 thousand people and having a song placed on Spotify’s first Iranian editorial playlist. I started with zero connections and I am completely self-funded. Anything is possible, but you have to know what you want and you have to be specific about that. Otherwise the universe (and honestly more-so your own brain) are not gonna know what direction to point you in. Things change over time but at least having an idea to start with is crucial.

Success starts and ends with you – Do NOT put all your eggs/faith/career in the hands of another person. Your own growth as a person and professional has to come from you first and foremost. There is no one magical person, group, entity, or organization that is going to make or break you – and if there appears to be one, always assess the strings attached. Being an artist especially makes you vulnerable to a lot of people who will try to build you up or break you down. You have to stay grounded and centered. I believe that this only comes from recognizing what you have to offer, what works for you and what doesn’t, and holding onto this mantra – “my own success starts and ends with me”. No one else can change this, only you.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always down to collaborate with other artists, singers, songwriters, and producers! My caveat is that I tend to only work with people who are ready and willing to challenge themselves and each other, and who’s messaging I align with. A lot of what I write now comes from a deeply thoughtful place – if you’re not ready to get a little ugly and honest with me than I’m probably not the person you want to be collaborating with. I’d suggest listening to my current releases first before reaching out but if you’re local to SoCal and really have something to say I am open. 🙂

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