Maé Oriel

It is known that art is always left up to the interpretation of the audience and one’s perception is their reality. However, the power of that art comes from the artist’s ability to convey the desired message with sincerity, honesty and without fear. This conveyance is exactly what Maé Oriel thrives on.

Shakira Maé Bryan, better known by her stage name as Maé Oriel, was born on June 20th to parents of Jamaican and Cuban background. Coming from an artistic family, being surrounded by singers and musicians was a frequent occurrence. Maé admits she tried her very best to find a different path as far away from music as she possibly could, but music wasn’t just a part of her DNA, it was the best part of her. She began to digest the musical tastes of her family and gaining the coveted training that only growing up in church can offer. “I remember my father’s 1986 record player blasting soulful powerhouse vocals almost every morning.”, Maé recalls. “I would open my eyes to that crackling sound and hear Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle and Shirlely Caesar belting out every word. I always tried to hit every note that they did.” She continued on to explain her immense love for Whitney Houston, Chaka Chan and Michael Jackson, that she shared with her mother.

As Maé became more seasoned in music and perfecting her own powerhouse vocals in the church choir, she developed an obsession with the 70s musical decade. Endlessly listening to and admiring the images of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, that she refers to as her ‘three favorite Js’. She gives full credit to all of these greats for the strong influence in her music.

Maé has now become the type of artist who is well rounded in all aspects of her craft. Before anything else, Maé Oriel is an affluent writer at heart. Longevity has always been the goal and cultivating her gift was the mission. Having worked with producers, Arthur McArthur and Cirkut/Dream machine to name a few, Maé began making a name for herself by being known for her undeniable vocal ability, unique concepts, attention to detail and deep emotional raw lyrics which quickly made her one of the most visible and upcoming songwriters and vocal producers in Toronto.

Now, with affirmation and co-signing from some the industry’s most influential artists and producers, Maé Oriel has now crossed-over into being an artist with a fresh sound and lyrical content listeners have been craving. Forget what you’ve known music to be and prepare yourself. For your standards of ‘good music’ is about to change. Maé Oriel is the new definition.

“We were made and given a gift to create. Something out of nothing. It’s one of the things that define us as human beings.” - Maé Oriel