Introducing: Maya Lakhani

Glastonbury sets. BBC Live Lounge buzz. Self-produced anthems with edge. British-Indian rock artist Maya Lakhani isn’t just making noise—she’s making a movement. With her latest single Fall For Me crashing onto streaming platforms May 2nd, Maya blends shoegaze shimmer with alt-rock swagger, all wrapped in a prom-scene-worthy love story that hits like a cinematic climax. A proud voice for representation in rock, Maya is unapologetically carving her own space—and inspiring others to follow suit. We caught up with her to talk riffs, roots, and refusing to play by anyone else's rules.

“Fall For Me” taps into that nostalgic, cinematic energy of early 2000s teen movies—what inspired you to channel that prom-scene vibe, and how did you translate it into your own sound?

I’m really inspired by the 2000s as a whole, I love that era of music & movies.  With “Fall For Me”, I started with the drums, and then some fuzzy guitar.  As I was writing, it just felt very nostalgic, and the sound I was creating really reminded me of that classic prom scene from teen movies.

You wrote, recorded, and produced this track entirely on your own—skills you taught yourself during lockdown. What’s your creative process like now, and how has self-producing shaped your identity as an artist?

Yes!  I learnt how to do this out of necessity in lockdown, but completely fell in love with working this way.  I love that I have total creative control on how my music sounds, it’s super empowering to me.  I still create this way now.  I feel like it’s really enabled me to find my voice and my sound as an artist, because it is completely me.

You’ve spoken about proudly blending your Indian heritage with your rock aesthetic. How does your cultural identity influence your music and visuals, and what does representation in rock mean to you?

Over the years, it’s become increasingly important to me to represent my Indian heritage.  When I got the amazing Glastonbury gig last year, I knew that I wanted to proudly represent my culture in my aesthetic on stage.  I knew how much it would have meant to me when I was a little girl, to see an Indian woman proudly rocking out on stage, and I hoped that it would perhaps inspire other people in my culture, that they can go out there and chase their dreams.  I think South Asians are very under represented within music & entertainment, so I feel like it's important for me to proudly represent.

From BBC Live Lounge to Glastonbury and now the main stage at Glasgow Mela—you’ve had an incredible trajectory. What have been some defining or surreal moments for you along the way?

It really has been an incredible journey!  A huge defining moment for me was when I released my first song “The Line” in lockdown.  I did it purely to prove to myself that I could do it, and I wasn’t expecting anyone to hear it.  So when it got playlisted, played on regional & national radio, it was such a surreal feeling!  I knew that I was on the right path with my music.  Glastonbury was another huge moment for me.  Playing Glastonbury has always been my dream as an artist, so I really couldn’t believe it when I got that gig!  I have a feeling that the Glasgow Mela is going to be incredibly special also! 

You’ve been described as “carving your own niche” in the rock scene. How would you define that niche, and what do you want listeners to take away when they hear your music?

I’d define that niche as self-produced bedroom rock, with an empowering & nostalgic spirit.  I always make sure that my music sounds super polished, so I enjoy when listeners find out that I made it in my bedroom, as it’s always a nice surprise!  I really enjoy making music that feels fresh, but has echoes of 90s/00s, and making music with a message is important to me too.