Maia & the Big Sky

Maia Lekow is a Kenyan musician and filmmaker igniting East Africa's creative landscape. Her magnetic vocals in Swahili and English are woven into the hypnotizing poly-rhythms of the Big Sky, creating a familiarity and warmth that transcends continents.

Maia & The Big Sky have built a formidable reputation as one of East Africa’s most explosive live performers, gracing festival stages that include MTN Bushfire festival, Sakifo, Africa Utopia, Woodford Folk Festival .

Her second studio album, the self-titled “Maia & The Big Sky” LP, is the culmination of a five-year musical journey inspired by the songs and rhythms of her coastal homeland. This journey will also see the release of Maia’s debut feature-documentary, The Letter, that premiered at IDFA in November last year. , which is a deeply personal exploration of the inter-generational conflict happening between elders and youth amongst Kenya’s coastal communities.

The first single Lola, includes a stop-motion music video of pulsing paper-hearts, and the second video Pawa (ft. Blinky Bill) features the two Kenyan artists taking over the Nairobi airwaves with some media-mind-control.

Maia’s previous achievements include winning two African Academy Awards for her 2009 track Uko Wapi as well as being named a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR on World Refugee Day 2013. 

 “Maia fuses her musical influences like a lounge chameleon”.
- The Guardian 

“Her tunes bring a new sense of chill to the African music scene”.
- Okayafrica