In what has been hailed as “the comeback of all comebacks”, Maya Jama and Stormzy confirmed last week that they have rekindled their romance, four years after going their separate ways, with fans going into meltdown over the new pictures of them holding hands while on holiday together.
And with them being lauded as potentially the new “Posh and Becks”, brand and popular culture expert Nick Ede tells Closer that Maya and Stormzy make a “perfect power couple” and he believes that developing a family brand like the Beckhams could be on the cards, owing to their top careers and down-to-earth personalities.
Nick says, “Stormzy and Maya’s reunion is not only heartwarming, but they’re both at the top of their game at the moment – all eyes are on them. They are powerfully paired and I can see them being a real power couple. Or even a family brand in the future. Stormzy is extremely family-orientated – and so is Maya. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get engaged very soon. It’s only a matter of time before we have a glamorous wedding and hopefully hear the pitter-patter of little tiny feet. And I could see those children becoming superstar kids too. I really do think the sky is the limit for Maya and Stormzy.”
The Love Island host and the BRIT-award-winning rapper finally gave credence to whirling rumours that they were giving their relationship a second shot when they stepped out for a romantic amble in Greece.
The headline-grabbing outing came hot on the heels of observant fans noticing that the famous pair were sharing social media posts from the same £2.7k-a-night villa, leaving many speculating that they were holidaying together to celebrate Maya’s 29th birthday.
And when their all-smiles reconciliation went viral, it was met with collective joy from their combined 6.2m Instagram followers.
Their first-time-round romance began in January 2015, after initially meeting three months earlier at a Red Bull Culture Clash event. Maya admitted in a joint interview that she “fancied” the musician from the moment she laid eyes on him – when she was 20 and he was 21 – but they struck up a friendship before taking things to the next level.
Two years into their high-profile relationship, Stormzy – whose real name is Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. – made it clear he envisioned a long-term future with presenter Maya as he let his hair down at the GQ Men Of The Year awards.
He gushed, “I’m still so young but I want to propose, it’s going to happen and I will do it right.”
But despite the singer’s grand plans for their future, he and Maya broke up in 2019 and she moved out of the south-west London home they shared. Before long, rumours began circulating that Stormzy had been unfaithful to her with R&B megastar Jorja Smith – something he has repeatedly and strenuously denied.
After admitting he committed a “big disrespect”, he stated, “It didn’t need for it to be cheating for it to be a disrespect. But I thought now was a good time to say that I didn’t cheat on my ex.”
Stormzy poured his post break-up feelings into his music, most famously accentuated in the 2019 song Lessons, which addressed the split head-on.
Referring to his ex directly, he rapped, “My nephew’s still asking for his Auntie Maya / Guess this is the karma for what I done to Maya.”
Over the years, the grime icon has made no secret of the pain that came as a result of their relationship breakdown.
In 2020, Stormzy confided that he has “never loved someone how I’ve loved her”, revealing that he still visualises the big milestones with Maya.
“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.
Then, last year, he candidly opened up about the situation to Louis Theroux. He said, “My break-up, that was probably the biggest catalyst for growth as a man. It was like, OK, you made a mistake and you lost someone you loved, someone you cared for, someone who is special to you.”
Meanwhile, Maya’s career has thrived. She started as a radio presenter on Rinse FM in 2014, but her effortless charm and personable nature saw her build up credentials on TV too. The star – who did briefly move on and was once rumoured to be engaged to basketball player and Kendall Jenner’s ex, Ben Simmons – has fronted several shows over the years, including Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer and Walk The Line. But her fame reached dizzying heights when she was announced as the new Love Island host last year.
Nick adds that the couple – whose fanbase he describes as “living and breathing” them – could also make a career move mirroring another A-list couple.
“I can see them going the route that Idris Elba has done with [his wife] Sabrina – building up a brand incorporating beauty and lifestyle. I think this and music will be their focus if they start a brand together. They really do look happier than ever and I think it’s the real deal.”