My name is Maya Panteluk. I am 16 years old and I live in New York City. I am a young Polish-American singer and dancer. Although I am growing up in the United States, Polish culture, language and traditions have always held a very important place in my life. I am proud of my Polish roots, and I try to nurture them through music, performances and active participation in the Polish-American community.
My adventure with singing began when I was very young. Music is my greatest passion and my way of expressing emotions. I am developing my vocal skills at the Frederic Chopin School of Music under the direction of Mr. Dominik Grzyb. I sing in both Polish and English. The styles closest to me are pop, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, and contemporary and alternative sounds. I have experience performing solo, in duets, in a choir and in musical theater.
In 2024, I began gaining more and more stage experience. I performed at the “Reggae Invasion” vocal concert with the band Dzieci PRL-u at Melrose Ballroom in New York, and in December of that year I performed in a duet, and with the Polonia Children’s Choir, in a concert of Polish Christmas carols at The Kupferberg Center for the Arts in New York. For my musical achievements, I received a special award funded by PSFCU and the Polonia Choir. In November 2024, I won third place in the 2nd International Competition of Christmas Carols and Pastorałki of the Nowodworska Foundation in the 15–18 age category.
The year 2025 brought me more important experiences and successes. One of the most important was a performance at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York, during the Gala of the 7th International Festival of Christmas Carols and Pastorałki “Voice of a Little Heart.” It was an extraordinary experience for me and a huge motivation to keep developing my talent. That same year, I won first place in the vocal category (ages 13–18) at the Polish Fantasy New York Ignacy Jan Paderewski Competition, performing “Kozak” by Stanisław Moniuszko. I also took third place in the “Cursed Soldiers – Unbroken Heroes” competition in the music and vocal category. I also performed at the St. Queen Jadwiga Polish supplementary school in Ridgewood during the visit of the First Lady of the Republic of Poland. I also had the honor of representing my school at the National Reading of poetry by Jan Kochanowski, organized in connection with First Lady Marta Nawrocka’s visit to the Consulate General of Poland.
In November 2025, I performed at the Ritz Theatre in New Jersey during the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Polish supplementary schools in America. I also took part in the concert “Polish Singing: Polish Songs and Dances – With the Heart of Polonia” in Secaucus, New Jersey, organized by the Institute for the Development of the Polish Language and the Central Office of Polish Supplementary Schools in America. I also had the opportunity to perform Polish Christmas carols at events organized by the Kosciuszko Foundation, and to perform at the Józef Piłsudski Institute during ceremonies marking Polish Independence Day. I took part in the musical “Orpheus and Eurydice,” in which I performed a solo part, as well as in many other cultural and Polish-American events.
The year 2026 has brought me further honors. I received a special award in the senior soloists category at the International Papal Festival “Totus Tuus, Maryjo – John Paul II, Pilgrim of Peace” for composing and performing my own song, “Do Ciebie, Panie” (“To You, Lord”). In July, I received a special distinction at the 12th National Online Song Festival “Śpiewajmy Razem” (“Let’s Sing Together”). I was also honored with a diploma naming me an Ambassador of Polish Culture. This year, I also took part in the project “Polish Sounds of Patriotism,” carried out by the Polonia Children’s Choir in cooperation with the Institute for the Development of the Polish Language and the Odra-Niemen Association.
Besides music, I have also spent many years developing my passion for dance. I have taken part in dance competitions, including Starpower, Breakout, Hall of Fame and Revolution, winning first places, special awards and other distinctions. I also trained in Taekwondo and earned a black belt. These experiences taught me discipline, perseverance and systematic work on myself.
I also place great importance on education. I am an 11th-grade student at Maspeth High School in New York, where I am in the honors program and maintain a 4.0 grade point average. At the same time, I attend the St. Queen Jadwiga Polish Supplementary School in Ridgewood. In 2024, I scored 100% on an exam certifying my knowledge of the Polish language. I am a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. In 2025, I received a Student Award Voucher from the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union in recognition of my academic achievements and my involvement in the life of the Polish school. In 2026, I won first place in the Polish school’s literary competition for my work “Letter to Myself in the Future,” and I earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy – STAMP 4S certificate, confirming my proficiency in Polish and English. I am also learning Spanish. I also belong to the Polish Youth Association.
More important artistic challenges now lie ahead of me. In November 2026, I will have the chance to perform in “The Comeback Cabaret” at the New York venue Don’t Tell Mama in Manhattan. It is another opportunity for me to gain stage experience and to present myself to an audience in New York.
I am also currently taking part in an international music competition, The Next Music Star. Thanks to audience votes, I took first place in my group in one of the stages and advanced to the next round. It is a huge opportunity for me, but also a big challenge, because audience votes play a very important role in the competition going forward. I have also submitted a virtual application to American Idol and an online application to The Voice, and I also have an audition for America’s Got Talent ahead of me.
In connection with my participation in The Next Music Star, I would like to make a personal request for support to the editors of Nowy Dziennik and to the entire Polish-American community. It means a great deal to me to be able to keep developing my passion and to represent the young generation of Polonia on the music stage. I know how much the support of others can mean, so I would be enormously grateful if you would share information about my participation in the competition and encourage readers to vote for me.
You can cast one free vote for Maya every day through the competition’s official website:
Vote for Maya for Next Music Star!
Source: Nowy Dziennik
