Maya Azucena released the video for her single, “Fearless” today (February 13).

The Brooklyn, New York-native included a colorful cast of women of all ages in the video as a way to represent the various facets of the “Fearless Woman.” Within each character are different interpretations of the fearless ‘Spirit’—which is played by Azucena—in an animated fantasy world designed by director and After Effects Specialist, Donald Robinson Cole.

“I wanted to have a video that captured the message of my lyrics,” Maya says in an exclusive statement to HipHopDX. “I believe there is a giant potential in each of us, and a fearless spirit that the outside world cannot necessarily see. I think this video creatively attempts to exhibit my idea, and the idea that we all have a different version of that fearlessness.”

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Recently, Maya Azucena  launched a weekly web series chronicling her hustle through the music industry. Entitled, “The Essence Of Maya,” the series is directed by Rae Maxwell and highlights the Cry Love-artist’s performance during the 2013 Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as all of the intimate, humorous, and gritty characters encountered along the way.

Azucena also shared her thoughts on the current state of R&B music. “You can look at R&B a few different ways,” she says before continuing:

“From within the music industry, there is an ever-morphing sound that is based more on trends and sales, than on the actual ‘sound’ that I consider R&B. It seems to me that because Dance music is more Pop now, R&B artists are releasing music that isn’t what classically would be considered R&B. What I do like about the recent couple of years is that R&B has opened up to newer and more creative approaches. I think The Weeknd and Frank Ocean ushered in a new production approach that is really refreshing. It’s like they took the snare out of the beat (the high-mid range EQs) and utilized more warm digital sounds. It’s like sound experimentation. And James Blake is known for the sounds he uses on his production. A lot of it is more subtle and moody rather than loud and obvious. I respect what Cee Lo has been doing, too. His producers insert classic elements of R&B (namely his voice and some Motown-esque grooves), but then marries them to production that feels refreshingly new and energized. My main complaint about some R&B is that it sounds recycled and like a poor imitation of the originals. No one can be Marvin Gaye, or Stevie Wonder. They already covered that themselves. It excites me when I hear an artist that is clearly inspired by the historic greats, but then boldly inserts his or her own identity.” 

Watch “The Essence Of Maya” here.

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