Hailing from: Wilmington, DE
Genre: Jazz
RIYL: Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn, Nina Simone, Betty Carter
Performing: Friday, July 21st from 5:30pm-6pm at the baby grand
While most teenagers are probably concerned with the latest hits on the radio or even rebelling against those hits to find something more or less aggressive or in line with their limited worldview, Maya Belardo chose to focus the free time of her second decade on this earth listening to and learning about classic jazz. What began by falling in love with a Nat King Cole song she heard in a movie at age 10, has grown to encompass an entire songbook of vocal jazz standards from the past century. From middle school jazz bands to last summer’s Clifford Brown festival in Rodney Square, Maya has continued to sharpen her vocal skills and exercises them regularly throughout the region, opening for well-known groups and headlining her own performances as well. She has been called “Songbird” and the “Princess of Jazz” by her contemporaries and fans alike, giving credence to the work she has put in over the years, a dedication and passion that underlines a maturity few would expect from such adolescence. But it is precisely her youthful vigor and the eschewing of typical teenage tropes that convinces us that Maya Belardo will be a powerful voice on stage and in the musical community, as well as a classy and sophisticated representative of our city for years to come.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that Maya is kickIN’ off The Sugarbowl Concert Series this Wednesday #inWilm. If you’re worried about fitting her INto your schedule at Ladybug 2017, then this is your perfect opportunity to enjoy an extended set with her! Gable has partnered with the Friends of Wilmington Parks to bring you an INcredible local lineup, with a new concert taking place each Wednesday in the newly restored Sugar Bowl in Brandywine Park.
INterested? Check out more on Maya Belardo at the links below!
Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Vids
Passionfruit (Drake cover)
The Look of Love (Live at 2016 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival)
The Way You Look Tonight (Live at 2016 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival)
Stay tuned INto #inWilm for a new Ladybug Music Festival artist feature daily!