A singer-songwriter who has expanded on her sonic palette of soul, R&B and folk to embrace a poppier sound on her newest release, Maja's 'Not Picking Up' is a sassily stylish, spirited ode to loyalty in friendships.
Released last month, 'Not Picking Up' follows Maja's 2021 debut album 'I'll Get There' and also coincides with her return to living in Brisbane (after a period based in Melbourne)."I wrote it about a female friend who made no time for me and kept prioritising her boyfriend over the friendship," Maja says. "And I thought 'you know what – it doesn't feel equal. I'm not going to be there for you anymore. This time I'm not picking up.'"
The music video for 'Not Picking Up' (that was inspired by Amy Winehouse's song 'Tears Dry On Their Own') finds Maja living out this scenario in real life.
"The music video we filmed in two major locations – at the Gold Coast in a very scenic European location which I didn't expect!
"I had two actors that played the role of my friend and the role of her douchey boyfriend. That part went pretty smoothly.
"The second part was filmed in a dodgy hotel room and we were really going for an Amy Winehouse look of her singing in the hotel room. So that took a bit of adjusting, but we wanted to capture the feeling of loneliness."
Maja has given scenestr a sneaky look-in to share the 'Not Picking Up' video for the first time. Enjoy.
Currently on the road travelling to the Whitsunday region of Queensland for a gig on Saturday, here Maja shares her must-have items when travelling.
"I'm travelling to Airlie Beach to do a show at the Northerlies, which I'm really excited for!
"I'm currently in Yeppoon and it's been really nice seeing other Australians travelling up the coast! It feels like a long time since COVID.
"I have bought most of my summer clothes, but I have a feeling it's going to get really sweaty!"
1: Water bottle
It's an essential item and also very much needed for survival. It's taken me a really long time to find the right bottle. I used to have a glass one, but I kept breaking glass and I even chipped my tooth on a metal one so I finally found one with a drinkable top that's one litre.2: Sunglasses
They're stylish and they keep the sun out of your eyes. At the moment, I am tossing between a pair of cheap ones and these red aviator looking ones that I can only see red through, so it doesn't help when the lights change colours!I bought it at one of my favourite shops in Melbourne where I see my Turkish psychic.
3: Blueberries
I'm trying to eat healthy snacks because I have to go on a low-carb, low-sugar diet again. And blueberries are so easy to eat.
4: Diary/ journal
Every travel story needs a good travel diary. I specifically bought a new one for this trip because I'm going to have plenty to write about.I even have some of my old diaries from Europe and all my travels. It's nice to go back and remember how you felt in those moments. I hope I'll have some interesting stories and new memories from this trip.
5: Crystal for the car
For protection. I have two little crystals in a compartment and one of them is a crackle quartz, which is good for love and compassion. I kind of just go to the crystals when I need them and it gives me a sense of comfort.Maja 2022 Tour Dates
Sat 24 Sep - Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill (Airlie Beach)Fri 21 Oct - Junk Bar (Brisbane)
Fri 11 Nov - The Little Poet Bookstore (Byron Bay)
Sat 12 Nov - Miami Marketta (Gold Coast)
Fri 2 Dec - Some Velvet Morning (Melbourne)
