The biggest night for British music is hitting the O2 this evening, with some of this generation's most talented stars in attendance for this year's BRIT Awards.
The BRIT Awards 2022 will be led by Mo Gilligan as he picks up the baton from Brits long-timer Jack Whitehall, whilst TV presenters Clara Amfo and Maya Jama manage the red carpet side of things.
Maya, 27, has revealed that she is 'well excited' for the big night tonight, but how did she go from a tough upbringing to being one of the hottest names in showbiz?
READ MORE: Maya Jama looks stunning with new hairdo as she reveals nickname for her fringe
Born and raised in Bristol, Maya is of Somali and Swedish descent, and was named after US author and poet Maya Angelou by her mother, Sadie, who was just 19 when she had Maya.
Maya's childhood was not perfect, with the star revealing in a 2017 interview with The Guardian that her earliest memory is of the police knocking on the door, asking, "Where's your dad?".
"I told them, and they pulled him out and took him away," she said, reflecting on the fact that her dad was hiding under the bed.
"And I felt guilty, because I’d given away his hiding place.”
Maya's father was 'banged up', as she described it, for most of her childhood, as the result of violence, pub brawls and fights. At the age of 12, Maya made the decision to cut her dad out of her life, and focus on other things.
But, after forging a successful career in television, Maya decided to meet with her dad in a 2017 documentary about young people who had experienced similar upbringings to her.
Unfortunately, Maya ended up walking away disappointed, but said she did feel 'sad' and 'sorry' for him.
A few years after cutting her dad off, at the age of 16, Maya bade farewell to Bristol and her family, and moved to London. Despite a good start, nothing gold lasts forever, and the flatmate Maya was living with was addicted to drugs.
And then, the 'worst thing to ever happen' to Maya took place - her boyfriend Rico Gordon was shot and killed whilst they were speaking on the phone. Rico, 21, who was originally from Notting Hill in London, was murdered on Stapleton Road in July 2011.
Despite the heartache and devastation, Maya was determined to work hard, and continued chasing her dreams.
From presenting a show on London radio station Rinse FM, to stints on daytime TV, to modelling campaigns with Adidas, hosting the MOBO Awards and now the BRITs, Maya has forged a huge name for herself in the glitzy world of television.
As for her personal life, Maya and rapper Stormzy were branded a 'power couple' during their four year relationship, with the pair abruptly separating in late 2019. It is thought that they parted to focus on their careers.
But now, Maya is reportedly engaged.
The star recently flaunted her engagement ring whilst spending the festive season stateside with NBA player Ben Simmons. The couple are rumoured to have been an item since the summer, with the first public confirmation of their relationship being a snap of them kissing at Wimbledon in July.
Shortly before this, they had been seen together at Sexy Fish, an Asian restaurant in London.
Maya jetted out to America to spend Christmas with her basketball beau in his New Jersey mansion, and it is thought that he proposed to the presenter over the festive period. However, the couple are yet to confirm their engagement.
At New Year, Maya dropped a hint that she may be moving to the US in the future - in a video posted to her Instagram story, the star was asked by a woman with an American accent if she was moving 'here', to which Maya responded, 'Mmm, maybe!'.
The BRIT Awards 2022 will air tonight on ITV at 8pm.
