First inspired thirteen years ago by Led Zeppelin’s Heartbreaker, Maya Miele, 51, a solo artist from Brooklyn, NY spends his time playing guitar in Grand Central Terminal.
Becoming so moved by the sound, Miele decided to become a street musician after being motivated by a teacher who taught him the basics of classical music ,Which made him get involved with the MTA’s Music Under New York program in order to provide a better life for his son.
Maya Miele smiles for the camera with his guitar in hand.
“The program been around since the 70’s, I can stop performing in the subways for a while to go on trips and when I come back I can just go back to them and they’ll give me new days to perform,” he said.” “Once you’re in it, you are for life.
Being a single dad, Miele states that his biggest priority is being able to take care of his son, despite spending four straight hours a day trying to make a career in music for himself, its his only job that helps provides for his family. Being far away from his son to long though, is something he isn’t willing to do right now.
He also sells CD’s full of composed classical pieces of hits that he covers that people are familiar with that helps with his musical career.
“I faced many problems since I started performing and just getting to work on time even, then many personal problems with getting out of a bad relationship and the birth of my son which changed things,” Miele stated. “I have many major hurdles to face before I can just hop on a plane and do my own thing.”
Maya continued to talk about some of these hurdles that he is still trying to overcome such as health problems with his hands and not being able to perform as well on the guitar, thus delaying time that could be spent making money towards his son’s future. Even more so, his transition from male to female that he has to deal with on a daily basis.
Miele strumming on his guitar and getting back to business.
“My son is only seven, and still growing up I had him listen to a lot of classical music and Bob Marley since he was a baby, but he insists on rap music now,” he said. “I can tell he understands music though, he doesn’t just bang on the piano for instance, he actually sits there and thinks about how to play it.”
Being involved with the Music program for so long now, Miele insists that no genre of music ever really dies out, but kind of lives as more of an underground type of music. In addition with the hopes of one day being able to travel with his son to perform other places out of New York.