Kenya’s alt-R&B gem Maya Amolo is turning the volume all the way up, on her truth, her boundaries, and her artistry.
Her latest single, “Look The Other Way”, released on July 17, 2025, is a silky yet defiant anthem that signals a new era for the Nairobi-born singer: one where she no longer whispers her emotions, she owns them.
Backed by a brooding, bass-laced beat from longtime collaborator Cap, Maya’s voice floats effortlessly over the production. Her delivery is gentle but laced with precision. Sweet, but far from submissive. This time, the softness serves as armor. The lyrics cut through the noise of two-faced friends, performative praise, and the shallow attention of those who only show up when it benefits them.
“This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt the sting of being misunderstood or underestimated and chose not to retaliate, but to transcend,” Maya explains. “I wrote Look The Other Way as a reminder that not every battle is worth fighting. Sometimes, walking away is the strongest move.”
The single is the third taste of her upcoming second album, and it teases a deeper, more unapologetic Maya, one who embraces both the glow and the grit of her reality. If her 2022 debut album Asali was a meditation on love’s sweetness and sorrow, Look The Other Way picks up with sharper self-awareness and unwavering poise.
Since making waves with her 2020 project Leave Me At The Pregame, Maya has cemented her place in East Africa’s thriving music landscape and emerged as a force in the global alt-R&B scene. With critical nods from NPR, OkayAfrica, The Native Mag, and Harmattan Rain, she’s not just riding the wave, she’s creating it.
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From representing at the first African songwriting camp hosted by Spotify and COLORSxSTUDIOS to being named Apple Music’s East Africa Up Next artist, Maya continues to lead with authenticity, elegance, and emotional depth.