Malaya Watson Explained

Malaya Watson
Birth Name:Malaya Tina Bandico Watson
Birth Date:24 September 1997[1]
Birth Place:Southfield, Michigan, U.S.
Years Active:2014–present
Genre:Soul, R&B
Occupation:Singer
Instrument:Vocals, tuba

Malaya Tina Bandico Watson (born September 24, 1997) is an American singer from Southfield, Michigan, who finished in eighth place on the thirteenth season of American Idol.

Early life

Watson is of half-Filipino American and half-African-American descent, the daughter of Ronald Watson, a professional guitar player, and Marian Bandico Watson, a nurse who hails from Manila, Philippines.[2] In high school, she played the tuba in Southfield High School marching band. She is an alumna of the Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit,[3] where she sang in Singsation and Hasting Street. She is also an alumna of the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus.,[4] where she starred in Carmen, Tosca, Pied Piper of Hamlin, The Very Last Green Thing and The Nut Cracker.

Musical influences

She cites her two grandfathers and her father as her personal musical influences. She described her style in singing from Sly Stone and Beyoncé.[5]

Career

2014: American Idol

See main article: American Idol (season 13).

At 15, Watson auditioned in Detroit with Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way." She is the third youngest contestant in American Idol's history to reach the live finals after Lauren Alaina and Daniel Seavey.[6]

After being deemed as a front-runner to win by judge Jennifer Lopez and fans, Watson was announced as the act with lowest number of votes for Top 8 reveal night. With the Judges save gone, Malaya was eliminated from the competition. She sang "I Am Changing" as her farewell song. After her final performance Watson received a final standing ovation from all three judges.

Performances on American Idol

EpisodeThemeSong choiceOriginal artistOrderResult
AuditionAuditioner's Choice"Ain't No Way"Aretha FranklinN/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, Part 1A Capella"Brand New Me"Alicia KeysN/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, Part 2Group Performance"I Want You Back"
with Christina Collins, Olivia Diamond, and Queen Bulls
The Jackson 5N/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, part 3Solo"I Believe"Fantasia BarrinoN/AAdvanced
Top 20 (10 Women)Personal Choice"Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)"Ray Charles10Advanced
Top 13This Is Me"Runaway Baby"Bruno Mars2Bottom 3
Top 12Home"Take Me to the King"Tamela Mann10Safe
Top 11Songs from the Cinema"I Am Changing"Jennifer Holliday11Safe
Top 10Billboard Top 10"When I Was Your Man"Bruno Mars5Safe
Top 9I'm with the Band!"The Long and Winding Road"The Beatles4Safe
Top 8Back to the StartSolo "Ain't No Way"Aretha Franklin6Bottom 3
Duet "Lucky"
with Sam Woolf
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat8
Top 8Songs from the 1980sSolo "Through the Fire"Chaka Khan4Eliminated
Duet "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
with C.J. Harris
Aretha Franklin & George Michael8

Post Idol

Watson took part in the American Idols Live! Tour 2014 from June 24 through August 24, 2014. Throughout the duration of tour and to date, she worked on her debut EP, My Diary, and her unnamed album.

Watson sang the U.S. national anthem at the Detroit Lions versus New Orleans Saints game at Ford Field in Detroit on October 19, 2014.[7]

In 2018, Watson released her debut single, "Time.",[8] and released her second single "Worry About Myself" two years later in 2020.[9] Later in the year, she appeared on Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington's collaborative EP Dinner Party: Dessert, contributing guest vocals to the song "Love You Bad" with Phoelix.

On December 4, 2020, Watson released her debut EP, My Diary: The Prelude..[10] This was followed by her second EP, Father's Law, which was released the following year. Later that same year, Malaya would appear on the Terrace Martin album Drones, contributing vocals to "Evil Eye" with rapper YG. She also appeared on two tracks from Snoop Dogg's compilation Algorithm.

In 2022, Malaya was featured on the track "Joint 3" with Cisco Swank and Luke Titus, which was named by NPR as one of the year's best songs.[11]

Discography

EPs

Digital singles (American Idol)

YearSong
2014"When I Was Your Man"
"The Long and Winding Road"
"Ain't No Way"
"Through the Fire"

Singles

YearSong
2018"Time"
2020"Worry About Myself"

Guest appearances

Title! scope="col"
YearOther artist(s)Album
"Love You Bad"2020Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington, PhoelixDinner Party: Dessert
"Happy Feet (for dancers)"2021Theo CrokerBLK2LIFE // A FUTURE PAST
"Runnin Away"Tall Black Guy, Ozay MooreOf Progress and Progression
"Evil Eyes"Terrace Martin, YGDRONES
"Anxiety"Algorithm
"Inspiration"

Notes and References

  1. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/idol-worship/american-idol-malaya-watson-689753 'American Idol' Season 13: Malaya Watson Is the Youngest Finalist in Series History – Hollywood Reporter
  2. http://www.rawatson.net/?section=bio RAWatson – Rock, Blues, R & B, Inspirational and Jazz Music *THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE*
  3. http://www.mosaicdetroit.org/about.htm Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit – History
  4. http://www.motcc.org/2014-childrens-opera-brundibar.html Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZulWhlWCu_o Road to Hollywood: Malaya Watson
  6. Web site: 'American Idol' Season 13: Malaya Watson Is the Youngest Finalist in Series History behind Daniel Seavey.. Fred Bronson . Hollywood Reporter . March 20, 2014.
  7. Web site: Lions 24, Saints 23: Corey Fuller catches winning TD in dramatic comeback for Detroit. October 20, 2014.
  8. Web site: Time - Single by Malaya on Apple Music . Apple Music . 23 March 2021.
  9. Web site: Worry About Myself - Single by Malaya on Apple Music . Apple Music . March 23, 2021.
  10. Web site: My Diary: The Prelude by MALAYA . DistroKid . March 23, 2021.
  11. News: Pointer . Ashley . June 27, 2022 . NPR Music's 36 Favorite Songs of 2022 (So Far) . NPR .