Edward Maya

Edward Maya is a producer, songwriter, and recording artist who became an international sensation in 2009 with the release of the song "Stereo Love." Born Eduard Marian Ilie in Bucharest on June 29, 1986, Maya became interested in music as a child and attended Bucharest's George Enescu Music High School. While continuing his studies at the Bucharest Conservatory, Maya began writing songs with Eduard Carcota, one of which became an entry in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. This early success led to Maya collaborating with a number of Romania's leading producers, earning credits on recordings by Costi Ionita, Cassa Loco, Marius Nedelcu, and Blaxy Girls. Maya moved on to become a successful producer in his own right with the album No Tears by Akcent, which scored a number of hits in Europe. In 2009, Maya teamed up with Eldar Mansurov and Vika Jigulina to create "Stereo Love," the first single released under Maya's name. The song became a major success in Romania, reached the Top Ten in 16 other countries, and racked up over 50 million views on YouTube. In 2010, Maya released his follow-up single, "This Is My Life," as well as his first album, called Stereo Love. To help maintain control of his career and provide opportunities for other artists, Maya has formed his own record label, Mayavin Records. ~ Mark Deming