Mae Ya has a singing voice unlike any other yet noted in history, in an eleven year-old
child. To add to this amazing gift, she is also a self-taught musical prodigy that arranges
her versions of each song she performs, ad-libbing the vocals and the music. Having
grown up in a home with a family so devoted to jazz that they literally owned as many
albums as a substantial music store, Mae Ya was exposed to the “best of the best” and
her natural gifts soon became apparent to her mother. One day Mae Ya announced
to her mother that she would like to take vocal lessons, as well as sing jazz, gospel, and
pop; although it is clear to anyone who hears Mae Ya’s incredible voice that there is
no genre she has not already mastered. Not knowing Mae Ya’s talent at the time, her
Mom forestalled getting Mae Ya the voice lessons until one day she overheard her
singing and was floored, like everyone else who hears Mae Ya’s incredible voice. The
rest is, as they say – history. Here are a few of the highlights of her young career, so far.
Professional Training:
• Studied voice and piano (Suzuki Method) at the Merit School of Music, Chicago
• Studied the viola (Suzuki Method) with the Magic (Metropolitan Area Group of Igniting Civilization)
• Studied acting with renowned acting coach, Runako Jahi (acting coach of Jennifer Hudson during her
historic performance of “Dream Girls,” for which she won an Academy Award)
• Currently being mentored by Mr. Bruce Thompson, a notable multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, arranger,
composer, producer, engineer, writer, and band leader
Scholarships and Awards:
• Received the Ella Fitzgerald award from the Chicago Philharmonic
• Received the Albertina Walker (Queen of Gospel) Scholarship
• Offered a scholarship at the Merit School of Music
• Won the Chicago Music Award’s Emerging Star Competition
• 2012 Winner of Dwayne Wade's “Chicago Has Talent" Competition”
• Awarded a Scholarship by acting coach Runako Jahi
Featured in Concert at Renowned Venues or Notable Events:
• Performed for Stedman Graham’s private VIP reception honoring the legendary basketball player
Dominique Wilkins
• Performed at The South Shore Cultural Center’s Jazz Unites Annual Jazz Festival
• Performed at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival
• Performed at the African Caribbean Jazz Festival
• Performed at the DuSable Museum – The Mahalia Jackson Tribute
• Performed at the Yellow Phone Music Conference
• Performed for WVON Radio Event
• Performed at the Pre-Presidential Inaugural Luncheon sponsored by Illinois Senators Mattie Hunter; Emil
Jones, III; Napoleon Harris; and Representative Ken Dunkin
A Few of Mae Ya’s Current Projects:
• Invited by Heidi Levitt (casting director for the movie “The Artist”) to audition to play Nina Simone as a
child in the upcoming movie about Nina Simone. Mae Ya’s Management team is currently in talks.
• Recently performed in a November concert at the DuSable Museum where she was the headlining act
• Currently in talks with Rolling Out Magazine
Mae Ya Carter Ryan, born June 22, 2001 is a twelve year old gifted vocalist
unlike any other yet noted in history, she has a magnificent sense of pitch
and a powerful yet velvety voice. She is a self taught musical prodigy that
arranges her versions of each song she performs, ad-libbing the vocals and
the music.
Mae Ya has studied the Suzuki method of piano and viola and recently
decided to focus more on her singing.
Having grown up with a family so devoted to jazz that they literally owned
as many albums as a substantial music store. Mae Ya was exposed to the
"best". At age four and a half years old Mae Ya began to listen to music
legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Mahalia Jackson and more. Her
dedicated interest in singing began after a CD of jazz, gospel and RB music
was made in memory of her late grandparents who were advert music
lovers.
In her mother's grieving of her now deceased parents she played this CD
constantly, leaving Mae Ya no choice to listen to anything else.
At age 7, Mae Ya asked her mother if she could take voice lessons, her
mother said yes, but, didn't give her lessons until she heard Mae Ya sing a
year later at age 8. Even at that time her mother could not find any school
to accept Mae Ya because of her age. Her mother was told Mae Ya was too
young and she could damage her vocal cords, so her mother went on line
for lessons, and became her 1st vocal couch until she was able to find a real
couch many months later.
Her mother recalls Mae Ya telling her one day that she would like to sing
jazz; she was shocked and asked her to repeat what she said. Mae Ya
repeated what she said very slowly saying” I want to sing Jazz, gospel and a
little pop like Whitney Houston”.
Mae Ya loves all genres of music and has started classical training. It is clear
to anyone that hears her that Mae Ya is a lover of all genres of music.