Tkay Maidza: Super Tkay
From 10 Magazine Australia, 2021
The universe of Tkay Maidza is buzzing with good energy. In one corner, flowers bloom fast, the sun shines bright. In another, Maidza revs full speed ahead through fields of daisies on a Mad Max-esque dirt bike. In yet another, she codes in a lab, Kim Possible style, her pigtails high and bodysuit tight. So, what’s the sitch?
Maidza is fast becoming the reigning queen of Australian hip-hop. The Zimbabwean-born, Australian-raised artist has solidified her presence with a trilogy of EPs titled Last Year Was Weird. The third and final project was released in July. On each EP, Maidza’s versatility shines as she flows smoothly between pop bops and hard raps.
“When I was younger, all I listened to was the radio. [Pop] was what grabbed my attention as a kid. I think my experiences are pretty unique to me, but I know there are certain things I say that other African-Australians will understand. We’re that small circle of people, the cool kids, who love grime and trap and went to raves. There’s a very specific taste there and I think that influenced me, being there for 20 years of my life.”
Maidza’s Zimbabwean roots instil a sense of hope in her music. It’s uplifting but still electrified by an underlying deviousness. “Zimbabwean people want to see the bright side. A lot of Third World countries are like that. The music that comes from those countries reflects manifesting something else. A lot of Zimbabweans are very optimistic. They want to make the best of what they have.”
That is exactly what Maidza is feeling right now. When we speak via Zoom, she is at her new apartment in Los Angeles, having recently moved from Adelaide. It’s something she’s been wanting to do for years. “I’ve been loving it. I’m meeting people that I really like – just off the first time meeting them – which is rare,” she says. “I’m definitely going to stay here. I feel the buzz. I’m very sensitive to energy and I get overwhelmed… but I love it here. It’s cool, it’s exciting.”
It was in Los Angeles a few years ago that Maidza met her main collaborator, producer Dan Farber. “We have very similar outlooks on life. It’s so important to have someone that supports you no matter what.” By then, Maidza had released her debut album, 2016’s TKAY, which was a synth-pop, electronic project and, truthfully, not a representation of the Maidza we know today. Listening to her intuition, she tapped Farber to work with her to create a more authentic sound.
“It didn’t represent me,” she says of her debut. “I wanted to see what I could do if I felt like I was being more honest with myself. I always believe that if you love what you’re doing and it’s meant to be, it will work out.” Farber’s production perfectly complements Maidza’s music, whether she’s singing or rapping. Together, they hit the sweet spot, and have undoubtable musical chemistry.
Having a good team around her is key. “The people that surround me are amazing because they are encouraging me to be my best self. They’re not asking, ‘Where’s the hit song?’ Eventually, that is the goal, but everyone understands that the first priority is to build the story and create stability to make sure my identity is very clear. It’s like, ‘How am I going to build this and make this a 20-year plan instead of what we need right now?’ That’s the difference between a quick, easy dollar as opposed to, ‘What if we bought houses in five years?’”
The music industry is tough, but Maidza knows what she wants. For a start, she would like to see more women in CEO positions. “A lot of women I work with, like A&Rs or PRs, understand the way female artists work. It’s important for female artists to have other women on their team. It makes a big difference, empathetically.” Maidza is headstrong and determined. An avid tennis player growing up, she says nuggets of wisdom learned on the court now guide her through the industry. “The thing I learnt from tennis is how important the hours you put in are. Also, just seizing opportunities. If you have a ball in your court, try to get it to the other side because then fate can work for you; someone might make a mistake and that’s great for you, or someone might see something they wouldn’t have seen if you didn’t try at all. It’s such a mind game, too: confidence, body language and the way you present yourself to others – good energy is important.”
Intuition and energy are Maidza’s secret weapons. As she raps in Shook – “Intuition with the vision, see my future really clear” – she’s manifesting through her music. She describes herself as shy, but the Maidza we see in music videos and on stage is full-throttle fabulous. She thrives when creating characters for herself and putting on a show. “I think channelling energy is the biggest thing for me. I want to see something I haven’t seen myself in before. I always want to create some sort of character. I think I’m very lucky with the fact I can be different people: there’s a flower universe where I can be soft and then there’s the rap intensity where I have crazy updos and look more bad-arse. And then there’s moments where I can be goth and go to a rave in Berlin. I’m always excited to reinvent myself.” For our shoot, Maidza shines in Gucci’s Aria collection. “It was my first time wearing Gucci, and it felt like another moment where I realised that everything I wanted from this EP [Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3] has really come to fruition. I felt very expensive and special! I was channelling the Grammys after-party.” Manifesting.
Maidza loves superhero movies and comic books, particularly X-Men and The Avengers, and she brings a superhero mindset to all that she does. For the single Kim, featuring Yung Baby Tate, Maidza was inspired by the Disney cartoon character Kim Possible, who saves the world from supervillains and always comes out on top. In the music video, she cosplays Possible, Lil’ Kim and Kim Kardashian, chanting, “Bitch I’m, bitch I’m Kim.” The response has been huge. One of the comments on the YouTube video reads: “Shit, this is an MTV back-in-the-day quality video.” Hell, yeah.
On the EP, the thunderous Kim track is complemented by the bubbling, adrenaline-filled Syrup, which reveals Maidza’s clever wordplay (“My bars like chocolate, silky, milky, smooth” – it’s true). The sweet Onto Me, featuring UMI, shows Maidza’s softer side, while High Beams is a haunting hype up. “I’m proud of all of them on different days. At the moment, I am trying to focus on myself, so I’m loving So Cold. That’s the one where I’m like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I made that.’ On another day, High Beams is fire. Kim is sick. Breathe is different. I’m so impulsive and intuitive, I’ll be in a certain headspace and then I’ll quickly move out of it. Listening back to the volume three EP now, it sounds like a completely different person. I’m learning from it, too, just listening back. It’s a stream of consciousness and sometimes it takes time for me to realise what I was saying.”
The Tkay Maidza blueprint is made up of influences including Kanye West, André 3000, Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj (“Because she’s so sassy.”) Maidza collaborates with artists she admires and in the future, she hopes to work with Kaytranada, Pharrell Williams, Hudson Mohawke, Aminé, A$AP Rocky, Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator. “The list goes on,” she says. For now, she’s soaking up the Los Angeles sun and vibrating on a high frequency, elated with the response to Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3.
“The thing I’ve noticed over the last few weeks is that everyone wants something from you… You never really know the true intentions. It can be distracting.” So, Maidza’s protecting her energy, focusing on an upcoming tour where she plans to channel “carefree energy. When I step on stage, it feels like I’m becoming my ultimate self.” She has also begun working on an album.
When asked about the best moment so far, she says it was moving to Los Angeles. “The goal at the beginning of the three EPs was to be secure enough to do the move. I’ve been meaning to move here for seven years and I’ve never been ready for it, but it felt like this year was the perfect time. It felt like nothing else was meant to happen except for this.”
With her precise attention to detail, wild imagination and excellent execution, Maidza is poised to be one of hip-hop’s leading female figures. Her story is unfolding just as it’s supposed to. On the biggest lesson she’s learnt, she says: ”I feel like everything I want is already in me. I just have to believe in it.”