LOCAL ARTIST OF THE WEEK

"My art is my music and my cooking. ... Most people know me as a chef and have no idea I love to sing. I paid my way through college by cooking and catering, ... but I went to school for music. ... Making Sunday brunch for my family and friends is kind of like my church." — Maya Morrill

Maya Morrill moved to Charleston in January 2006. She packed all of her belongings into her grandmother's van and moved here to start a new life. She made herself known as an original singer/songwriter at the East Bay Meeting House.

Morrill began preforming at age 5 and started playing the guitar when she was 12. She is now concentrating on music theory and scripting out her compositions in order to get started on her next project, a full-length album with a band to be released in early 2009.

Her third demo, titled "Stop and Go," has five original tracks and will be available for $5 in mid-October. About her music, Morrill says, "It's an exiting, beautiful, time consuming and fulfilling process."

Next Event: CD Release Party 8:01-9:01 p.m. Oct. 13 at East Bay Meeting House, 159 East Bay St.

Web sites: www.mayamorrill.com, www.myspace.com/mayamorrill.

Residence: Downtown Charleston.

Birth date and place: Sept. 25, 1982. Weymouth, Mass.

Family: Mother, Laurie Erickson, chef and author; father, Martin Morrill, works for Sud-Chemie; older sister, Bonnie, freelance artist for The Wall Street Journal; younger brother, Jake, freelance illustrator.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in music at Salve Regina University, Newport, R.I.

Occupation: Chef at All Spice Cafe, Roper St. Francis Hospital.

Typical day: Work 7 a.m.-3 p.m., go for a run, make dinner, practice music, go out for a glass of wine and listen to jazz.

Goals: A regular gig, a place to sing once a week.

Tattoos: Treble clef on my heart, Eloise on my left wrist and happiness, strength and ambitious on my back.

Inspiration: My roommate, Lindsay Holler. She is a beautiful person.

Her music is inspired by: Etta James, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Sara McLachlan, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow.

Favorite thing about Charleston: Live jazz.

If your house was burning down and you had time to grab only one thing, what would it be: My guitar, an acoustic Yamaha that my mother bought for me after I graduated college.

Contact Vikki Matsis at julystar_17@yahoo.com.