| Tkay Maidza | |
| Birth Name: | Takudzwa Victoria Rosa Maidza[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1995 12, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Origin: | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Instrument: | Vocals |
| Years Active: | 2013–present |
| Associated Acts: | Jpeg Mafia, Lizzo, Flume, Billie Eillish, Charli XCX |
| Website: | http://www.tkaymaidza.com/ |
Takudzwa Victoria Rosa "Tkay" Maidza (; born 17 December 1995) is a Zimbabwean-born Australian singer-songwriter and rapper.
Maidza was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. Her parents are metallurgists.[2] In 2001, her family moved to Australia when she was five years old. They lived in Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and in Whyalla in South Australia before relocating to Adelaide in 2010.[3] She graduated from St Michael's College at age 16 and studied architecture at the University of South Australia before becoming a full-time musician and took part in Adelaide's Northern Sound System artist development program.[4]
In January 2013, Maidza uploaded "Handle My Ego" featuring Badcop onto triple J unearthed. In December 2013, Maidza released her debut single, "Brontosaurus" with producer BadCop. The song peaked at number 89 on the ARIA Charts.[5] This was followed by "U-Huh", produced by Adelaide born, now Sydney based Dew Process producer, LK McKay, in July 2014, which was certified platinum in 2022.
In October 2014, Maidza released her debut EP and mixtape, Switch Tape, featuring collaborations with Night Slugs' Bok Bok and producer SBTRKT.[6]
Maidza has played Splendour in the Grass and the CMJ Music Marathon in 2014 and at the 2015 St Jerome's Laneway Festival.[7] She performed at the Triple J "Beat the Drum" concert in 2015 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the radio station, both as a solo artist and with many other Australian guest rappers on an extended version of Hilltop Hoods' "Cosby Sweater".[8] Maidza played most of the Australian major festivals in 2015 including Groovin the Moo, Falls Festival, Meredith Festival and a cameo at Stereosonic with WhatSoNot.
In May 2016, Martin Solveig released the Maidza featured single, "Do It Right".
On 30 August 2016, Maidza released single "Carry On", featuring guest vocals from US rapper Killer Mike. The track is the first single from her debut album, titled Tkay, which was released on 28 October 2016. Tkay peaked at number 20 on the ARIA charts. The album was nominated for numerous awards at the ARIA Music Awards of 2017.
In August 2018, Maidza released the first of a trilogy of EPs titled Last Year Was Weird.
In May 2020, Maidza announced she had signed with English independent label 4AD[9] and released single "Shook" with praise from NME[10] and Rolling Stone.[11] In August 2020, Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 2) was released. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2020, the EP was nominated for Best Soul/R&B Release.[12]
In February 2021, Maidza released her new track "Kim" with US artist Yung Baby Tate.[13]
In May 2021, Maidza announced that the third and final EP in her Last Year Was Weird series would be released in July.[14] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2021, Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3) won Best Soul/R&B Release.[15]
On 19 November 2021, Maidza released "Real Nice (H.C.T.F.)" with Young Franco featuring Nerve, which served as the theme song for the A-League, the Australian and New Zealand professional soccer league.[16]
In March 2023, Maidza's cover of Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" was used in an AirPods commercial by Apple.[17] [18]
In July 2023, Maidza released "Silent Assassin" with Flume. This was followed by "Ring-a-Ling" and the announcement of her second studio album, Sweet Justice, which was subsequently released on 3 November 2023.[19]
Maidza has said she admires the work of Kendrick Lamar, Santigold, Lauryn Hill and Childish Gambino.[20]
See main article: Tkay Maidza discography.
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.! |-| 2023| "Bang My Line" (Cosmo's Midnight featuring Tkay Maidza)| Most Performed R&B / Soul Work of the Year | | [21] |-| 2024| rowspan="1"| "Ring-a-Ling"| Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work| | [22] |-
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.
| width=5% | Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | width=5% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | TKAY | Breakthrough Artist | [23] | |||
| Best Urban Album | ||||||
| 2019 | "Awake" | Best Hip Hop Release | [24] [25] | |||
| 2020 | Last Year Was Weird, Vol.2 | Best Soul/R&B Release | [26] | |||
| 2021 | Last Year Was Weird, Vol.3 | [27] [28] | ||||
| Nicholas Muecke for Tkay Maidza's "24k" | Best Video | |||||
| 2023 | "Silent Assassin" (with Flume) | Best Hip Hop/Rap Release | [29] | |||
| 2016 | Tkay Maida | International Viewers' Choice Award | [30] [31] J AwardsThe J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. | |||
| 2020 | "Don't Call Again" | Australian Video of the Year | [32] [33] | |||
| 2016 | Herself | Best Australian Act | [34] | |||
| 2018 | [35] | |||||
| 2016 | Herself | Live Hip Hop Act of the Year | [36] | |||
| International Live Achievement (Solo) | ||||||
| 2018 | Live Hip Hop Act of the Year | [37] [38] | ||||
| South Australian Live Voice of the Year | ||||||
| 2023 | Best Hip Hop Act | [39] [40] Rolling Stone Australia AwardsThe Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.[41] | ||||
| 2015 | Tkay Maidza | Best New Artist | [42] | |||
| 2021 | Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 | Best Record | [43] | |||
| "Shook" | Best Single | |||||
| 2024 | "Silent Assassin" (with Flume) | Best Single | [44] South Australian Music AwardsThe South Australian Music Awards (previously known as the Fowler's Live Music Awards) are annual awards that exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry. They commenced in 2012.[45] (wins only) | |||
| 2014 | Tkay Maidza | Best Electronica Artist | ||||
| 2015 | Tkay Maidza | Best Release | ||||
| Best Female | ||||||
| Best Song | ||||||
| "Switch Lanes" (directed by Sachio Cook) | Best Video | |||||
| 2016 | Tkay Maidza | Best Song | ||||
| "Do It Right" (with Martin Solveig) | Best International Collaboration | |||||
| 2017 | Tkay Maidza | Best Female Artist | ||||
| 2018 | Tkay Maidza | Most Popular Hip Hop Award | ||||