Maya Jama on turning 30, birthday plans and how to handle hosting pressure

Maya Jama is our ultimate girl crush, thanks to her enviable Love Island wardrobe, candid Instagram posts and all round good vibes . To celebrate the presenter turning 30 later this month (on the 14th August, FYI), we caught up with her to chat birthday plans, how to handle hosting pressure and the people she calls when she wants to have fun.

And yes, we do want to be BFFs now.

Hi Maya! What do you think makes a good party?

Hands down, a good playlist, a good group of people, and food! There’s always got to be some sort of food there.

What’s on your party playlist?

We’re gonna throw a little Charli XCX on the playlist. Also, it wouldn’t be a summer playlist at the moment without some GloRilla. I can’t go an hour without blurting out "It’s 7pm Friday, 95 degrees" - it’s just so, so catchy.

What have you got planned for your 30th birthday celebration?

On the day of my actual birthday, I’ll be having an intimate dinner with my friends and family, which is the best way to bring in a new birth year.

But my birthday celebrations have already started! Gordon’s Premium Pink kicked things off with the GRWMaya Salon experience up in Manchester at the beginning of the month where people were able to have hair and makeup styling inspired by some of my looks. For the rest of the month everyone and their friends can have the same experience at home which is cute, complete with ready-to-drink cans - this can be booked at Secret Spa.

People definitely feel hosting ‘pressure’ – what advice would you give for easing it?

Hosting pressure is so real; being a host can be really intense sometimes which is why I went for something chilled this year. You're trying to make sure everyone has a great time, but you also want to make sure you have a great time and actually enjoy it too.

So, delegate if you can. If you have a friend that loves organising, definitely put them in charge on the actual day so that you can have some chill time. Also, just doing low-maintenance events and making sure you’re getting to spend time with the people you’ve invited is the key to making it low pressure.

Don’t overcomplicate it, either. You want [to have] good food, but make sure you’re not spending half the day in the kitchen, and if you want to impress with some cocktails, pick delicious ones that are easy to make.

What advice would you give anyone worried about the ‘milestone’ of turning 30?

I would say to fully embrace it; it’s a brand-new phase and a chance to discover parts of yourself that you hadn’t previously. They also say life begins at 30, so I’ll let you know in a few months if that’s true.

How do you feel about turning 30?

Honestly, I was a little bit nervous about it a few months ago. Someone mentioned to me about your Saturn return, and I definitely feel like I went through that, especially as an astrology girl. It felt like it made a lot of sense.

But as I get closer to the day, everything just feels like it’s falling into place a little bit more. So now I’m really excited about turning 30 and all the new things I get to achieve in this decade. My 20s were incredible, and I feel like this is going to be even better than that but in different ways.

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

I can’t lie, my big Leo energy always brings the fun to a party. I’ve got a great group of friends around me though. Abuk is always a fun time, as well as my best friend Chynon. I’m lucky to be able to travel for work with my friends who are my glam team, too. Rhea, Letitia, and Jay always know how to start a party no matter where we are in the world.

What’s been a highlight from the last year?

I have had way too many highlights to just name one, but I would say I was lucky to tick a lot of items off my list. Co-hosting the Brit Awards - that is the one thing in my career I always said I wanted to do, and I was really proud that I was able to do that. Hosting the Fashion Awards, becoming an ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana, and being shot by two legendary photographers, Steven Meisel and David Bailey. When you list it all out, it was an incredible year for me last year.

What are you most excited for about the next decade?

Continuing to do more, see more, and surprise myself with what I’m able to achieve. I love the element of surprise - which is why live TV is my favourite, it’s the adrenaline of the unknown.

In the same kind of way I’m just excited to go with it and see what this new decade brings. As long as I’ve got my tribe behind me, I’m ready for it.

Click here to book a Gordon’s Premium Pink GRWMaya at-home package. Each package costs £125 per person and will be available from 2nd August to 1st September, 2024.