Maya Jama and Stormzy have once more confirmed their breakup, marking another (and perhaps, the final) chapter in their eventful relationship. The couple rekindled their romance a year ago after a significant split but recently shared their emotional decision to part ways. Their journey has been closely followed by fans and media alike, spanning a decade of highs and lows.
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2014: The Beginning
Maya Jama and Stormzy's paths first crossed at a London event in 2014. Both were relatively unknown at the time, and their budding relationship remained largely private as they got to know each other. In 2015, they officially started dating, enjoying a quiet relationship away from the public eye.
During an interview with Shopping With Keith Lemon in 2020, Maya opened up about the early stages of their relationship. Describing it as “normal,” she explained that they didn’t have public pressure hovering over them when they first began seeing each other. “So then, it was a normal relationship. Basically, I always said it was a normal relationship but people wanted to look at it more and talk about it more,” she explained.
2016: A Musical Tribute
As the years passed and speculation grew, the two eventually shared their romance with the world. However, it was the release of Stormzy’s “Birthday Girl” that confirmed that the two were an item. The song was a tribute to his love for Maya and released in August 2016 to coincide with her 22nd birthday. “This was for the Mrs but I hope that any girl can vibe to it and play it on their birthday also and feel special,” he tweeted upon the song’s release.
The song boasted a heartfelt message to Maya such as, “Yo princess, I just come to wish you a very, very happy birthday / I hope this is an incredible one for you, I hope God blesses you this year / And I hope you're havin' an amazing, amazing, amazing birthday / Lots of love / Love you always.”
2017: Rising Careers & Public Love
In 2017, Stormzy released his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer with Maya making a cameo in the music video for the lead single "Big For Your Boots." That same year, Maya became the youngest person to host the MOBO Awards, marking a significant milestone in her career.
As their careers soared, their relationship began to gain more attention from fans and the media. The two seemingly welcomed it. Stormzy often spoke about his love for Maya in interviews. He even hinted at marriage, telling The Mirror, “I'm still so young but I want to propose, it's going to happen and I will do it right. She is so sick, she is the best.”
2019: The First Breakup
After four years together, Maya and Stormzy split in 2019 and fans were just heartbroken as they were. Maya's representative stated, “Maya has moved out of their home in southwest London. The decision isn't one she has come to lightly, but ultimately the relationship has come to an end. She wants to focus on her TV and radio career for now.”
Stormzy's album Heavy Is The Head, released the same year, included the song "Lessons," which appeared to reference their breakup. On the song, Stormzy talks about how “you taught me love,” while also suggesting that there may have been some sort of infidelity on his part.”
2020: Stormzy Reflects
In a candid YouTube interview with Charlamagne Tha God, Stormzy opened up about his breakup with Maya and put to rest speculation surrounding infidelity. “I would love to be the man who she needs, I would love to do all the things that make this work. I want to marry her, I want to have her children,” he said.
2021: Moving On
By 2021, Maya had moved on and started dating Australian basketball star Ben Simmons. The couple made their public debut at Wimbledon, and by 2022, they were engaged. However, their engagement was called off later that year.
2022: Stormzy's Reflection
Stormzy spoke openly about his past relationship with Maya in a documentary with Louis Theroux. He described the breakup as a significant moment in his personal growth. “That's probably the biggest loss a man can have, isn't it? Away from someone passing away, that's the biggest loss you can have,” he said.
2023: Reconciliation
Rumors of a reconciliation began swirling in 2023. By October, Maya and Stormzy confirmed they were back together, enjoying a trip to Greece. They appeared together at the British Fashion Awards the following month, signaling their renewed commitment to each other.
February - May 2024: Valentine's Day Celebration
@stormzy Mi amor 😘❤️ - I hope everyone had a lovely valentines day !
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The couple seemed stronger than ever in early 2024. Stormzy celebrated Valentine's Day by gifting Maya an Hermès bag and sharing a cute TikTok video of their "couples' challenge." Maya was also thriving in her role as the host of Love Island, with Stormzy's support evident.
In May 2024, Maya launched her collaboration with Beauty Works, with Stormzy by her side at the launch party. Their mutual support was clear, and fans were delighted to see them together. At this point, it seemed like everything was well between the couple.
June 2024: A Fun Night Out
In the public eye, the two continued to show out. Though Maya’s undoubtedly had a busy year so far, she and Stormzy were spotted together at a new London venue that he launched called House Party. Videos and pictures emerged of the couple dancing and laughing together as they celebrated such a significant milestone in Stormzy’s career.
July 2024: The Final Breakup
Sadly, on July 17, 2024, Maya Jama and Stormzy announced their second breakup. Unfortunately, it sounds like the final straw, too. In the statement, the two acknowledged that they never thought the would have to announce a break-up but for the sake of transparency and peace in their lives as they move in a new direction.
“We fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and then spent five years maneuvering life apart. We decided to try for the final time in August 2023, and we've spent this past year trying our best to make it work; however, we recently decided to call it quits. We were 21 and 20 when we first met—both at the beginning of our careers—and spent five years growing together and then five years growing separately, so this final attempt required a whole lot of figuring out, relearning, and unlearning. We tried, and it didn't work, and that's okay,” the letter reads.
It continues, “We still think the absolute world of each other, we still care and respect each other, we are still grateful for the time we've had together, and we are still friends and will always be friends (so if you see us having a lil catch-up at The Brits or something, don't cause a fuss, we are dawgs!).”