Maia Lekow

Last updated
Maia Lekow
Born
Other namesMaia von Lekow
Occupation
  • Musician, film director, screenwriter, film producer, composer
SpouseChristopher King

Maia Lekow is a Kenyan film director, producer, composer and musician. She is best known for her debut feature documentary, The Letter , which was Kenya's official submission to the 93rd Academy Awards, and her second feature film, How to Build a Library , which premiered in the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Contents

Prior to her work in film, Lekow was already an established musician. [1] She was named a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR on World Refugee Day in 2013. [2]

Early life and background

Lekrow was born and raised in Kiambu. She is the daughter of Sal Davis, a Kenyan musician, and Maggie von Lekow, who is of German and Italian descent. Raised primarily by her mother, she was artistically and musically inclined from a young age. Her multicultural upbringing and early exposure to diverse cultures and music heavily influenced her later work. [3] After studying and performing music in Australia, Lekow returned to Kenya in 2007, where she continued developing her musical skills, including teaching herself to play the guitar, and collaborated with local musicians. [4] [5]

Career

Filmmaking

Lekow’s debut documentary feature, titled The Letter , had its world premiere at IDFA, [6] and was Kenya’s official selection to the 93rd Academy awards. [7] The film was supported by the IDFA Bertha Fund, Hot Docs Blue Ice Group, and the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. [8]

Lekow followed her debut with How to Build a Library , a documentary film based on two Kenyan women's mission to restore a public library in the country's capital, Nairobi. The film explores themes around colonialism, youth, gender, cultural heritage and reclaiming forgotten spaces. [9] She worked on the project as a director, producer, sound recordist and co-composer between 2017 to 2025, The film had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival and competed in the World Cinema Competition. [10]

Music

Lekow's early recordings, under the name Maia von Lekow, include a 2008 self-titled EP featuring "Oyster," which appeared on Warner Poland's Ladies' Jazz Album Vol. 6, and "Uko Wapi," which earned her two African Movie Academy Awards for Best Soundtrack. [11]

In 2012, she released her official debut album, "Drift," a twelve-track collection of original songs that explored themes of identity, belonging, and cultural dislocation. The album title reflected both her personal and musical journey, as well as her experiences living in various countries. [12]

In 2018, she released her sophomore album "Maia & The Big Sky" on both digital and vinyl records, marking the first Kenyan vinyl record in 33 years. [13]

Personal life

Lekow is married to director Christopher King. They live together in Kenya.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
2025 How to Build a Library Director, writer, producer, composer, sound recordistDocumentary
2019 The Letter Director, writer, producer, composerDocumentary

References

  1. "Sundance 2025 Composer Spotlight: Maia Lekow". www.ascap.com.
  2. "Celebrities join the UN Refugee Agency's unique campaign for World Refugee Day". UNHCR. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  3. "Maia von Lekow : Growing out of her legendary father's shadow". Music In Africa. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. Metcalfe, Daniel (18 June 2010). "Nairobi's live music scene". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  5. "Maia von Lekow - WOMEX". www.womex.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  6. "The Letter (2019) | IDFA Archive". IDFA.
  7. Ramachandran, Naman (12 November 2020). "Kenya Submits 'The Letter' for International Oscar Race (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  8. Vourlias, Christopher (17 November 2019). "IDFA: Kenyan Documentary 'The Letter' Debuts Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  9. "Nairobi Filmmakers Christopher King and Maia Lekow Premiere Documentary at Sundance | OkayAfrica". www.okayafrica.com. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  10. Tingley, Anna (26 January 2025). "Maia Lekow and Christopher King on Sundance Doc 'How to Build a Library' and How the Story of Saving One Nairobi Library 'Can Be the Blueprint' for All of Africa — and the World". Variety. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  11. "Maia & The Big Sky". blanketsandwine.com (in Indonesian).
  12. "Maia von Lekow : Growing out of her legendary father's shadow". Music In Africa. 26 November 2014.
  13. "Meet the new generation of Kenyan women sparking a vinyl resurgence in Africa". Global Voices. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2025.