Debut

Coles began making music as a teenager, learning to produce music using the Cubase software program when she was 15.^[4] She first produced hip-hop and trip hop. A few years later, she released her first two records on Dogmatik Records, in 2008 and 2009, which were more house music-based.

Career

Having already remixed acts such as Massive Attack and Gorillaz with her duo She Is Danger,^[8] Coles gained breakthrough exposure in 2010, when she released a four-track EP on Franck Roger's label,^[9] Real Tone Records. She was then named by DJ Mag as one of the best newcomers that year,^[10] as her track "What They Say", taken from her eponymous EP, was also one of the most playlisted by DJs on Resident Advisor.^[11][12]

In 2011, she featured in many specialised magazines, such as Mixmag.^[13] BBC Radio 1 invited her to record an Essential Mix of her own, which was later nominated for Essential Mix of the Year 2011.^[14] Later on that year, she was voted 'Best Newcomer 2011' at the Ibiza DJ Awards 2011 and came ninth place in Resident Advisor's annual DJ ranking.^[15]

In 2012, she won 'Best House/Garage/Deep House' track at the Miami Winter Music Conference 2012,^[16] 'Staff Pick: Artist of the year 2011' at the Beatport Awards,^[17] DJ Mag's 'Producer of the Year 2011',^[18] Mixmag's 'Best Breakthrough DJ 2011',^[19] FACT's 'Female Artist 2011',^[20] and Symphonic Distribution's 'Artist of the Year 2012'^[21]

Later in the year, Coles was invited to record a mix for the DJ Kicks collection. The volume she produced was released in April,^[22] and obtained a favourable reception from specialised media.^[23][24] In November, Rolling Stone placed Coles at number 15 on its list of the world's 25 most influential DJs.^[25]

Maya was later invited back to record a second BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in 2013.^[26]

Coles' début album Comfort was on her own I/AM/ME label and Kobalt Label Services internationally in summer 2013. It featured guest appearances from artists such as Tricky, Miss Kittin, Nadine Shah, Alpines, Thomas Knights and Karin Park.

She also produced Fabric 75 (released April 2014), the 75th edition of London nightclub Fabric's monthly compilation album.^[27]

In late 2014, the title track of Coles' 2010 EP What They Say was sampled in the Nicki Minaj song "Truffle Butter", a collaborative track with Drake and Lil Wayne from her album The Pinkprint.^[28]

In 2017, Coles released her second album, Take Flight, on her own label, I/AM/ME. The 24-track album peaked at number 37 in the overall UK albums chart during the week of release, number 26 in the Independent label chart^[29] and number 15 in the Billboard Dance and Electronic Album Sales Chart.^[30] The album received immense support, receiving a 72% score on Metacritic,^[31] gaining coverage from a number of high tier publications including Mixmag,^{[32][33][34][35]} Pitchfork and Billboard,^[36] as well as receiving DSP support such as a banner on the iTunes Electronic page, a spot in Spotify New Releases, Apple Music New Releases and was named Beatport Artist of the Week.^[37] Maya gained 2 'Essential New Tunes' from Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 for two of her singles from the album, "Cherry Bomb" and "Trails"^[38] and to top of her year, she won Best Album and Best Producer at the DJ Mag Best of British Awards 2017 off the back of her Take Flight album.^[39] 

2017 also saw Maya gain a number of selected mix placements such as her Essential Mix, which was shortlisted for Essential Mix of the Year,^[40] Annie Mac's Mini Mix,^[41] Channel 4 Best Before,^[42] Beats1 Mix^[43] as well as Radio 1 Live in Ibiza.^[44] Going into 2018 she also secured a British Airways exclusive mix with her full album also added in flight.^[45]

In May 2020, the title track of Coles' 2010 EP What They Say was sampled in the Lady Gaga song "Sour Candy", a collaborative track with BLACKPINK from her album Chromatica.^[46]

In 2021, she co-produced one of the songs, "Loving You" on Sting's album, The Bridge.

As Maya Jane Coles

Compilation albums

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Mixmag	[48]
Resident Advisor	[23]
Spin	[24]

DJ-Kicks: Maya Jane Coles

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Deft – Loqux & Past"
2.	"Kris Wadsworth – Mainline (Jimmy Edgar Remix)"
3.	"Chasing Kurt – Money"
4.	"Bozzwell – In My Cocoon"
5.	"Larse – Karoo"
6.	"Milscot feat. Angela Sheik – All Alone (Domyan Just Slow Remix)"
7.	"Adam Stacks – Hey Love"
8.	"Phil Kieran & White Noise Sound – Never Believed"
9.	"Sigward – Nuerd"
10.	"Maya Jane Coles – Not Listening"
11.	"Virgo Four – It’s A Crime (Caribou Remix)"
12.	"Roberto Bardini – Hate Me (Muteoscillator Fairy Tall Remix)"
13.	"Tripmastaz – Guess Who"
14.	"Standard Fair – Little Helper 16-3"
15.	"Nocturnal Sunshine – Meant To Be"
16.	"Zenker Brothers – Berg 10"
17.	"Last Magpie – No More Stories"
18.	"Zoe Zoe – Church"
19.	"Gerry Read – Roomland (Youandewan Remix)"
20.	"T. Williams – Analog Tour"
21.	"Marcel Dettmann – Translation Two"
22.	"Claro Intelecto – Hunter’s Rocket to the Sky"

Singles and extended plays

Year	Title	Label	Reviews
2008	Sick Panda	Dogmatik Records
2009	Monochrome EP	Dogmatik Records
2009	The Dazed EP	1TRAX
2009	Not in My House EP	1TRAX
2010	No Sympathy	Elite Records
2010	Bubbler EP	Loco Records Supreme
2010	What They Say	Real Tone Records	Resident Advisor [49]
2010	Cool Down EP	Dogmatik Records
2010	Humming Bird EP	Hypercolour
2011	Beat Faster	Mobilee
2011	Focus Now	20:20 Vision	Resident Advisor [50]
2011	The Remixes	Real Tone Records
2011	Dont Put Me in Your Box EP	Hypercolour	Resident Advisor [51]
2012	Not Listening	K7
2012	Watcher	Dogmatik
2012	Getting Freaky	Heidi presents... Jackathon Jams
2012	Easier To Hide	I/AM/ME
2013	Comfort	I/Am/Me, Kobalt
2014	From the Dark	Mobilee Records
2017	Won't Let You Down EP	I/Am/Me
	Trails
	Weak / Werk
2018	Keep Me Warm (featuring Gaps)
	Don't Leave
	Other Side[52]
2020	Run To You[53] (featuring Claudia Kane)
	Would You Kill (4 Me)? EP[54]
2021	Night Creature[55]
	True Love to the Grave[56] (featuring Claudia Kane)
	Got Me[57] (featuring Julia Stone)

As Nocturnal Sunshine

Originals

Year	Title	Label	Reviews
2010	Can't Hide the Way I Feel	LMD SkunkWorks	Resident Advisor [63]
2010	Meant To Be	!K7

As She Is Danger