Psychology or Law? Psychology, absolutely. This is my second bachelor’s degree; I previously studied law in Slovenia. When I was a child, everyone always told me I should become a lawyer. I was very communicative, always eager to participate in class discussions, and I loved history and politics. Until I was bullied and excluded by my peers for about two years. That deeply shaped me as a person. The effects weren’t visible right away, but towards the end of primary school, I began to notice signs of social anxiety. Because it went untreated and no one really understood what was going on, the anxiety slowly grew. When I started university, especially during Covid, everything seemed to pile up. I went through a very difficult episode of depression, ended an important romantic relationship, and my grandmother, who I was very close to, passed away. I felt like I needed to rebuild my life from the ground up, to take a completely new direction. Studying law wasn’t making me happy. When I worked in different law firms, I felt unfulfilled. That’s why I never pursued a Master’s in law. Taking a gap year would’ve helped me a lot, but that’s not really a thing in Slovenia. If I had taken that time to pause and breathe, I think I would have found my path to psychology much sooner.
"I’ve been dancing since the day I could walk"
First performance ever? It must’ve been a dance performance – I’ve been dancing since the day I could walk. I did jazz ballet and tap dancing, both performances and competitions. I also played piano and performed in music school. I quit dancing in secondary school so I could focus more on singing, and I don’t regret that decision. I’ve just released my first EP as a singer-songwriter. It’s called Maja’s 4 Seasons, with four songs, each representing a season. But dance will always be a big part of me – it’s shaped me as an artist. And who knows, perhaps I’ll include it in my first album.
Do you prefer to write songs in English or Slovenian? Slovenian. That’s when I can write straight from the heart. I collaborate with my boyfriend, who is a music producer and songwriter. We met when he heard one of my covers and reached out to collaborate. One thing led to another. We released a single two years ago – that was more his story, his song. The tracks on the new EP are based on my own experiences. The first two are a bit heavier, more ballad-like, which suits me; I tend to get inspired by intense emotions. But to challenge myself, I’ve also written two lighter, upbeat tracks, to be released in winter and spring.
I feel Slovenian when… I’m walking around Maastricht while recording a voice message. No one knows what I’m saying, so I can gossip freely about the people around me. [laughs]
"I know people who aren’t really enthusiastic about anything, which is so boring"
Dream trip? I’m curious about any country that’s far away and has a very different culture. And I don’t want to be just a tourist, snapping photos of the highlights for Instagram without actually learning about the place. I’d like to stay somewhere longer, connecting with people more deeply through music or perhaps a spiritual community.
What do you look for in a partner? A source of calm. I’m quite neurotic and always on the go, so it’s nice to have a boyfriend who can calm me down and is generally a bit more relaxed. I want someone who knows how to compromise, so the relationship feels equal. And I want someone who is passionate about something. I know people who aren’t really enthusiastic about anything, which is so boring. Luckily, my boyfriend has all these qualities.
I make friends easily. Yes and no. I can be quite sensitive to other people’s energies and tend to pick up negative vibes very quickly, perhaps a bit too quickly sometimes. Through therapy, I’ve learned techniques that help me stay more objective in social situations, so I don’t take everything so literally or personally. At the same time, I think this sensitivity is also one of my strengths. It allows me to really understand people and feel what they’re going through. With those I click with, I’ve built wonderful friendships based on complete mutual trust and support.
"I used to be quite bossy to my younger sister, and eventually, she had enough of that"
My sister and I are very close. My sister is eight years younger than me. When she was little, she copied everything I did. If I took up dance, she wanted to take up dance. It was cute, but I also found it annoying. Because of our age difference, I was quite bossy when we were younger, and eventually, she had enough of that. [Laughs] We don’t see each other very often now; she’s in her third year of secondary school and very busy, just like me. But if anything’s going on with either of us, we know we can always turn to each other.
This is a book I keep rereading. I rarely reread books. I rewatch films and series, but once I’ve finished a book, that’s it. That said, I would like to reread the classics we read in school, such as books from Slovenian novelists or Shakespeare’s works. I didn’t really absorb them back then.
In ten years… I’ll be a psychologist. I’m very interested in the psychology of addiction and substance use disorders, but I’ve only just started my studies, so who knows what might come next. I might end up combining law and psychology; I know we have an option to decide on that in our third year. I hope to release more albums and have time to perform, but I’ll always continue to combine music with psychology. Music is my source of energy and my therapy, and psychology lets me help others.