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2020 – Maya Delgado

Maya Delgado is a young actress who has been seen on series such as Ghostwriter, a professional singer who has graced the stages of Radio City Music Hall and the Dallas House of Blues, and she has appeared in numerous national commercials and musical theatre productions. Maya is also the founder of HeARTS of Maya, a nonprofit foundation which provides scholarships to youth in the Dallas area who want pursue acting, singing, or dance.

1. How did you get started acting?
Ever since I was very little, I have loved singing and acting. I would actually make tickets, pass them out to my family, and have them attend my performances in our living room. When I was around 7, my grandmother told my mom ”If you don’t take her to singing and acting lessons, I will!” My mom took me to lessons and shortly after that, I got an agent.

2. What has been the most challenging part of auditioning/working during the pandemic?
The entertainment industry has really slowed down and it’s been hard to feel productive. I have used this time to work on my craft and learn new skills! I’ve had a number of great Zoom auditions and callbacks- fingers crossed! I have also taken Zoom vocal and acting classes with amazing teachers from all over the country. Since I like to songwrite, I taught myself how to play the ukulele so it’s helped me work on some new material which I hope to release later this year.

3. What was your time on set like working on Apple TV’s Ghostwriter?
It was so exciting! All of the cast and crew were so talented and it was so easy to work with them. Everyone was really professional and it was a fun environment at the same time. I learned a lot about set etiquette and the important roles of the crew. The second season comes out October 9th, so make sure you watch the show!

4. How do you prepare for a live performance?
It really depends what kind of performance I’ll be doing. If I’m performing for a musical and have to dance, I definitely stretch. If I have an intense scene, I get into character by meditating. If I’m going to sing, I do vocal exercises beforehand to make sure I am warmed up. Something that also helps me is taking a deep breath before I go on stage. Turning jitters into positive energy always helps me perform better!

5. Who have been some of your biggest influences?
There have been many people who have influenced my career but one of the most influential has been my grandfather who passed away two years ago. He was a folk singer in Mexico when he was young. I believe I got my voice and love of music from him. He was my biggest fan and I know he is still cheering me on from heaven!

6. What was your inspiration behind starting HeARTs of Maya?
It’s important to train, work hard and have determination to be an artist. Early on in my training, I noticed some of my friends, who were extremely talented, didn’t have the resources to take classes. It was really frustrating for me to see that because they were so talented, and many of them, I looked up to! So I asked my parents to help me start a foundation so I could help them and others who want to pursue the arts. My hope is that others can appreciate the benefits of arts education, such as music, dance, the performing arts. I think now more than ever, the arts can be an outlet for young people to express themselves, their beliefs, their freedom of expression.

7. What kind of work does your scholarship program do and do you have any particular stories you can share about the contributions the scholarships have made to the Dallas area?
The mission of HeARTS of Maya is to share my love of the arts by providing educational scholarships to youth in financial need who demonstrate a desire to pursue music, acting, and/ or dance. It has been the most rewarding experience to be able to “pay it forward.” One particular example that stands out is a very talented young girl who was extremely shy when I met her. She was very introverted and very scared to be on stage but she had such a beautiful voice. HeARTS of Maya awarded her a scholarship to take a summer music and vocal camp. At the end of the camp, the students graduated with a showcase. Her performance was amazing and she developed the confidence to have a strong presence on stage. She was very inspiring! She inspired me! I knew that what I was doing with the foundation was so important.

8. How did you feel when you found out you won a SPARK! award last year?
It was very humbling to get an award for something that I think is the right and natural thing to do- to pay it forward. It was nice to be recognized. It also made me realize that “giving back” will always be part of everything I do.

9. What are your future goals for HeARTS of Maya?
Now that I live in Los Angeles, I am in the process of establishing a chapter in L.A. and hope to do the same for youth in L.A. and surrounding areas. We hope to launch later this year!

10. What advice do you have for youth looking to get involved with a local charity?
Getting involved with your local charity is a great way to give back to your community. Now more than ever, it is important to help those in need. Besides working on setting up a chapter of HeARTS of Maya in Los Angeles, I have donated to schools that create care packages for kids who have to e-learn. Every act of kindness counts!

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you Star Kidz for interviewing me!

Follow me at @mayasdelgado

To learn more about HeARTS of Maya and to make a contribution, go to heartsofmaya.org