{{DISPLAYTITLE:Janani K. Jha}} {{Short description|American singer-songwriter (born 1998)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Janani K. Jha | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Janani Krishnan-Jha | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|5}} | birth_place = | other_names = J. Maya | works = {{flatlist| *''Poetic License'' *''The Rest of the Laurels'' }} | television = ''Survivor 45'' | relatives = | occupation = {{flatlist| * Singer-songwriter * Reality TV contestant }} | education = Harvard University | years_active = 2021–present | awards = | website = {{URL|https://www.jananikjha.com/}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | origin = Los Angeles, California | genre = {{flatlist| * Indie pop }} | instrument = {{flatlist| * Piano * Keyboards * Vocals }} | label = {{hlist|Expand Music}} }} | signature = }} '''Janani Krishnan-Jha''' (October 5, 1998), formerly known by the stage name '''J. Maya''', is an American singer-songwriter. In 2023 she participated in ''Survivor 45'', the 45th season of the American reality-TV competition series ''Survivor''. The release of her debut single in 2021, "Achilles Heel", influenced by Greco-Roman mythology, garnered streams. Her debut EP, ''Poetic License'', received positive reviews from media outlets in 2022. In 2024, she released her debut album, ''The Rest of the Laurels'', with an accompanying novella ''Katathon''.
==Early life and education== Krishnan-Jha was born in the United States to Indian Tamil parents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Janani K. Jha on TikTok: As a Tamil woman writing music inspired by literary classics, this feels like a dream come true 📚💛|url=https://www.tiktok.com/@jananikjha/video/7080675877822025003 |date=March 30, 2022 |access-date=April 11, 2025 |website=TikTok}}</ref> She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she attended San Mateo High School. There, she was captain of the Mock Trial Team, president of the Model UN, founder and president of the Speech & Debate Club, president/student director of the choir, executive member of the Renaissance Leadership Team, and publicity chair of the Writing Club. In 2015, she received the National Scholastic Award in Writing, which she accepted at Carnegie Hall. She also worked as an intern for United States House of Representatives member Jackie Speier (D-CA) while attending high school.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shcp.edu/news/tedxyouthshc-speakers-announced-2016 | title=TEDxYouth@SHC Speakers Announced! | publisher=Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory | date=March 29, 2016 | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | author=Chu, Thai}}</ref>
In 2016, Krishnan-Jha competed in the O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships in Austin, Texas. She was named MVP (Most Valuable Punster) of the competition.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://texashighways.com/culture/pun-pun-pun/ | title=Pun, Pun, Pun | publisher=Texas Department of Transportation | magazine=Texas Highways | date=April 17, 2017 | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | author=Held, Joey}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, she began attending Harvard University, where she served as a public service student representative for the Dunster House.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://publicservice.fas.harvard.edu/people/janani-krishnan-jha | title=Janani Krishnan-Jha | publisher=The President and Fellows of Harvard College | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | website=Harvard University}} </ref> She graduated in 2020 with a B.A. ''cum laude'' in psychology.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.backstage.com/u/jananikjha/ | title=Janani Krishnan-Jha | publisher=Backstage | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | website=Backstage.com}}</ref> She stated in 2023 that she had been accepted into Harvard Law School, but turned the offer down to concentrate on her singing career.<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-cast-photos-bios-revealed/ | title=Meet the cast of ''Survivor 45'' | publisher=Dotdash Meredith | magazine=Entertainment Weekly | date=September 6, 2023 | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | author=Ross, Dalton}}</ref>
== Career == In 2021, Krishnan-Jha released her first single, "Achilles Heel", which received more than 150,000 streams across platforms in the first three days of its release.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://booksnbackpacks.com/achilles-heel/ | title=Achilles Heel: Enjoy Myths in J. Maya's New Single | date=December 8, 2021 | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | author=Livia | website=Books 'n' Backpacks}}</ref> She released the single under the pseudonym '''J. Maya''' in which the letter "J" is the initial for her first name "Janani" and "Maya" in Sanskrit means "illusion or magic" as music to her was "100% fantasy, my escape".<ref name="stage name">{{cite AV media |date=August 24, 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rgeTxoNRMQ |title=Why I'm changing my artist name from J. Maya to my birth name! ❤️ |publisher=Janani K. Jha |via=YouTube |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref>
J. Maya's first EP, ''Poetic License'', was released in 2022. The EP spawned four singles: "Library Card", "Sunday Crossword", "Machine Learning", and "Three Specters."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/6uFYqDeLIwfURuF1yxVqJU/discography | title=J. Maya – Discography | publisher=Spotify AB | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | website=Spotify}}</ref> ''Poetic License'', as well as Krishnan-Jha's songwriting at large, has been recognized by media outlets like NME,<ref>{{cite web |title=The NME 100: essential emerging artists for 2023 |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-radar/the-nme-100-essential-emerging-artists-for-2023-radar-3372061 |website=NME |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> Good Morning America,<ref>{{cite web |title=From 'super nerd' to superstar: Youngest pun champion writes punny pop songs l GMA |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npiC6SSp9Kk |website=YouTube |publisher=Good Morning America |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> Uproxx,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lane |first1=Lexi |title=All The Best New Pop Music From This Week |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/best-new-pop-pinkpantheress-rm-troye-sivan-noah-cyrus/ |website=Uproxx |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref> VOGUE India,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rao |first1=Pritikia |title=J. Maya is the MVP: Most Valuable Punner |url=https://www.vogue.in/content/indian-american-singer-songwriter-j-maya-is-the-mvp-most-valuable-punner |website=VOGUE India |publisher=VOGUE |access-date=12 September 2024}}</ref> Forbes,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kim |first1=Regina |title=AAPI Artists To Watch: Iam Tongi, Emei, Eric Nam, Lyn Lapid And More |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginakim/2024/06/27/aapi-artists-to-watch-iam-tongi-emei-eric-nam-lyn-lapid-and-more/ |work=Forbes |access-date=12 September 2024}}</ref> and Coup de Main,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jacob |first1=Lola |title=Introducing: J. Maya and her upcoming 'Poectic Licence' EP. |journal=Coup de Main |date=November 28, 2022 |url=https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/j-maya/18914}}</ref> and music institutions such as The Recording Academy.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Chloe |title=TikTok's Musical Class Of 2022: 12 Singer/Songwriters Who Went From Viral Stars To Hit-Making Artists, From Jax To Nicky Youre |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/tiktok-songs-2022-artists-singer-songwriters-music-trends-victorias-secret-billie-eilish-sunroof-fingers-crossed-snap-numb-little-bug |website=Grammy Awards |publisher=Recording Academy |access-date=12 January 2024}}</ref>
In 2023, J. Maya was one of 18 participants in ''Survivor 45'', the 45th season of ''Survivor''.<ref name="ew" /> She was voted out in the sixth episode, placing 13th and missing out on the jury.<ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Ross, Dalton |date=November 2, 2023 |title=''Survivor 45'' star J Maya reacts to being called out by Kaleb at Tribal Council |url=https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-j-maya-interview/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=Dotdash Meredith |accessdate=November 3, 2023}}</ref>
In 2024, she dropped her stage name as she "wanted to bring a little bit of myself" into music.<ref name="stage name" /> Under the name Janani K. Jha, she released her debut album, ''The Rest of the Laurels'', a concept album inspired by Greco-Roman mythology, with each track representing a myth. She also wrote an accompanying novella ''Katathon'' which described the nine levels of hell as per Dante's Inferno. Each chapter in ''Katathon'' was linked with a song in Krishnan-Jha's album ''The Rest of the Laurels''.
== Musical style and influences == Krishnan-Jha cites Western literature and Greco-Roman mythology as influences on her music.<ref name="new9">{{cite web | url=https://thenewnine.com/artist-to-watch-j-mayas-poetic-license/ | title=Artist To Watch: J. Maya's Poetic License | work=The New Nine | date=January 11, 2023 | accessdate=November 2, 2023 | author=Treadgold, Emily}}</ref> She also lists pop artists Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift as her favorite musical influences.<ref name="coup">{{cite magazine |author=Jacob, Lola |date=November 23, 2022 |title=Introducing: J. Maya and her upcoming 'Poectic Licence' (sic) EP. |url=https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/j-maya/18914 |magazine=Coup de Main |accessdate=November 2, 2023}}</ref> Her musical style mixes elements of jazz with South Indian Carnatic music.<ref name="new9" />
== Discography ==
=== Studio albums === * ''The Rest of the Laurels'' (as Janani K. Jha; 2024) * ''The Rest of the Laurels: Epilogue'' (as Janani K. Jha; 2026)
=== Extended plays === * ''Poetic License'' (as J. Maya; 2022) * ''Epic: The Wisdom Saga'' (as Janani K. Jha; 2024) - portraying Aphrodite in "God Games"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=K. Jha |first=Janani |date=August 11, 2024 |title=Janani K. Jha on Instagram: "EPIC: The Musical is a musical retelling of the Odyssey, and i have the honor of playing Aphrodite in it! i can't wait for you guys to hear this musical in its entirety …. it really is the stuff of legends 🥹❤️" |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-i_jzmyb3b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Instagram}}</ref>
=== Singles === ====as J. Maya==== * "Achilles Heel" (2021) * "Thanatos (End of Us)" (2021) * "Ms. Protagonist" (2021) * "Library Card" (2022) * "Golden Age" (2022) * "Sunday Crossword" (2022) * "Machine Learning" (2022) * "Slow Burn" (2023) * "The Maze" (2023) * "Hellbent" (2023)
====as Janani K. Jha==== * "Gladiators" (2024) * "Royal We" (2024) * "Rainmaker (with Scott Hoying)" (2025) * "Prometheus on the 405" (2025)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Survivor contestants}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:K. Jha, Janani}} Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Los Angeles Category:Survivor (franchise) contestants Category:Harvard University alumni Category:American people of Indian descent Category:American musicians of Indian descent Category:American people of Indian Tamil descent Category:Indie pop musicians Category:Year of birth missing (living people)