Biography
Who is Maia Estianty?
Early life and background
Maia Estianty was born on January 27, 1976, in Surabaya, East Java. She is the daughter of Harjono Sigit and Kusthini, and she is the fifth of six children in her family. Through her father, she is the great-granddaughter of the nationalist leader Tjokroaminoto, who is recognized as a National Hero in Indonesia.
During her elementary school years at the Yohanes Gabriel Catholic Elementary School, she began developing her interest in music. She learned to play the piano and led her school marching band to win a national championship. While attending State Junior High School 1, she also pursued modeling, winning the Yess Modelling Competition for Teenagers in 1990. During her teenage years, she also gained skills as a disc jockey through part-time work at a local radio station.
Musical career and Ratu
While studying at the University of Indonesia, Maia joined the band Dewa 19 as a backing vocalist. In 1999, she and Ahmad Dhani conceptualized a musical duo called Ratu. The group featured a singer and a musician, with Maia handling the music production and songwriting. Their debut album, Bersama, was released in 2003 and sold 250,000 copies, marking a successful start for the project.
After original member Pinkan Mambo left, Mulan Kwok joined the group in 2005. The duo released the album Ratu and Friends, which achieved double platinum status in Indonesia. Their hit single Teman Tapi Mesra became a cultural touchstone. The group released another successful pop-rock album titled Nomor Satu in 2006, selling 200,000 copies on its release day. However, internal conflicts and business disagreements led to the dissolution of Ratu in 2007.
Duo Maia and business ventures
Following the end of Ratu, Maia Estianty formed Duo Maia with Mey Chan in 2008. They released the album Maia and Friends, featuring collaborations with various artists. In 2009, she released the album Sang Juara and served as a judge on the talent show Dream Girls. By early 2010, she founded her own recording studio and label, Le Moesik, which signed artists such as Krisdayanti and Julia Perez.
Beyond music, she has been involved in acting, appearing in films like Lantai 13, Oh My God, Kata Maaf Terakhir, and Guru Bangsa: Tjokroaminoto. She has also served as an ambassador for domestic violence awareness for the Indonesian Ministry for Women's Issues. Her business interests have expanded to include ventures such as a steakhouse, an outsourcing company, and a café.
Family and marriage
Maia Estianty was previously married to fellow musician Ahmad Dhani, with whom she had three sons: Al Ghazali, Ahmad El Jallaludin Rumi, and Dul Jaelani. Their divorce in 2008 involved a difficult custody battle over their children, which eventually concluded with the Supreme Court of Indonesia allowing the children to choose their living arrangements. These family tensions eventually subsided following a car accident involving their youngest son.
On October 29, 2018, she married businessman Irwan D. Mussry in Tokyo, Japan.
Birthday and age
Maia Estianty was born on January 27, 1976, which makes Maia 50 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Maia shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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