The Maija-James Project
Acoustic Echos Across Arizona
Bio
he Maija-James Project began when Maija and James were introduced by Thomas Collett, lead singer of Hotwired. Both were Thomas’ vocal students, both played guitar, and both quickly discovered a natural musical connection.
Beyond music, they share plenty of common ground: each is a business professional, each raised twins, and each grew up in the Midwest. But most importantly, they share a deep love for acoustic music — from folk and Americana to jazz, blues, and rock.
Today, The Maija-James Project blends heartfelt originals with fresh takes on soft rock classics spanning the past 50 years. Their setlists feature artists such as Janis Joplin, Brandi Carlile, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Eagles, Elton John, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton, The Ronettes, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Kitty Wells, Jimmy Buffet, Zac Brown, Red Hot Chili Peppers, America, James Taylor, Bob Dylan (a favorite), The Black Crowes, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Harry Chapin, and many more.
Their shows are dynamic yet intimate, built on two guitars, rich vocal harmonies, harmonica, and creative looping/drum machine layers.
Perfect for breweries, wineries, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, house parties, corporate events, festivals, and weddings, The Maija-James Project brings the full experience — providing professional sound, lighting, and all necessary gear.
Individual Bio's
Maija’s love of music began in childhood in Minneapolis, when she discovered her father’s old R&B 45s. Inspired by boogie-woogie piano records, she begged her parents for lessons and started playing at age six. Her teen years were filled with music — piano competitions, trombone, choir solos, and singing and dancing in Glee Club.
A true free spirit, Maija twice left Minnesota on a whim: once to New Orleans (a short-lived adventure, though she still adores the city) and later to San Francisco, which became a more lasting home. Eventually, she settled in Phoenix to raise three children, all of whom became musicians themselves.
Maija picked up guitar a decade ago as a way to accompany her singing, and in recent years has developed a passion for nylon-string acoustic and Travis-style fingerpicking. In 2023, she began focusing more deeply on vocals, exploring a wide range of styles from country to jazz, rock, and blues.
Today, Maija brings her love of singing and her broad musical influences to every performance, weaving versatility, warmth, and a deep connection to song into her artistry.
James Sills grew up surrounded by music in Dayton, Ohio, where his mother sang in the church guitar choir that rehearsed weekly in their home. Inspired by those sounds, he picked up his first Yamaha six-string at 14 and soon began playing in the choir at Chaminade-Julienne High School. At the University of Dayton, James formed a folk-rock band that performed acoustic hits from the ’60s and ’70s at local bars, including the legendary Canal Street Tavern—where Harry Chapin once played—and became a regular at the campus favorite, Monk’s Inn.
After earning his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech, James built a career in technology, founding a successful software company focused on retail price optimization, while raising three children with his wife, Sharon. His proudest non-musical achievement? Rebuilding the transmission on his 2005 F-150. When he’s not making music, James enjoys adventure motorcycling in the mountains of Colorado on his KLR650.
With his kids grown, James returned to music, refining his guitar skills under Craig Lempke—renowned for his work with the Wrecking Crew and Glen Campbell in Los Angeles in the ’70s—and studying voice for with Thomas Collett, acclaimed vocal instructor and lead singer of Hotwired.
Over the past decade, James has performed across Arizona with various artists, teaching guitar and sharing his passion for music with audiences. He plays primarily on a Breedlove Atlas guitar and Hohner Crossover harmonicas, blending skill, heart, and a lifelong love of song into every performance.