By Adam Stewart
Maya Vanya may just be the hottest things that New Zealand has spawned since the prehistoric creation of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. The buzz that this sister duo is creating around the global electronic music community is nothing short of just that: Volcanic.
Hailing from Auckland but with Croatian roots, sisters Maya and Vanya are the talk of this year's Winter Music Conference in Miami (which kicks off this Tuesday, March 23). Winners of the "Next Generation DJ Contest" (brought about by Let's Mix, Beatport, DJ Mag and Pioneer), these brunette beauties are far more than commanding of the eyes, and they will playing ball with the big boys spinning along side some of the world's turntable heavyweights at these years festival.
The competition, which collected over 350,000 votes, was moderated by industry top dogs including producer David Waxman and Swedish House Mafia member Sebastian Ingrosso. Ingrosso recently praised the duo on Beat Portal, saying "Whenever and wherever we're on stage with the Swedish House Mafia, our first priority is always to create that hands-in-the-air vibe that simply screams party. Hearing these ladies DJ, that's just what I felt." Seb certainly doesn't dish out that sort of comparison to just anyone, so that statement got everyone's undivided attention.
The ladies have been in high demand all over New Zealand for the past year, scoring a weekly residency at the county's hottest night club as well as its top electronic radio station, George FM. Their eclectic blend of house, tech-house, tribal and disco appeal to the masses, making them a perfect floor-filling combination. MTV News will be checking them out at day two of the Beatport Beach Parties in Miami, where they'll share the bill with stars like M.A.N.D.Y. and Mark Knight. Other notable artists who have taken an interest in working with the duo include Major Lazer, Santigold, Fake Blood, TV Rock and Thomas Gold.
MTV News can't wait to catch up with these budding young stars on the ground in Miami, where they plan to put on a few sets that are sure to catapult their careers even further. The girls were kind enough to send us this message included below (apparently there are sheep everywhere you turn in New Zealand). Looking forward to Miami, ladies!