MAY-A Performs Grunge Style Cover Of Stevie Nicks’ ‘Edge Of Seventeen’

Australian artist MAY A has delivered her own interpretation of a well known rock classic.

The 24 year old musician from Sydney performed Stevie Nicks’ 1981 song “Edge of Seventeen” for triple j’s Like a Version on Friday March 20. Her version leaned into a heavier alternative rock feel, replacing the original’s famous guitar motif with a completely reworked arrangement built around gritty guitars and a darker atmosphere.

Joined by her touring band, MAY A began the performance with a softer, voice focused opening before gradually building the track into a louder and more intense finale. The latter half featured thick distortion and extended instrumental sections, including standout guitar and bass moments.

This reinterpretation allowed her vocal style to become the focal point, moving between softer emotional tones and a rougher rock delivery. Guitarist and creative partner Chloe Dadd played a major role in shaping the final sound, which developed after trying multiple ideas during practice sessions.

“When we started playing around with the idea of this song, we just played it in so many different ways,” MAY A said. “And my guitarist Chloe, she sort of built out the tracks.”

MAY A explained that her decision to cover the track was intentional, saying she chose a Stevie Nicks song because of the emotional depth in her songwriting, particularly around themes of grief.

“I haven’t seen someone write about grief and loss in such a powerful and strong way,” she said, describing the quality as “unique and inspiring.” The triple j team had teased the cover earlier in the week by sharing a School of Rock clip on Instagram Stories.

Her Like a Version session also included a live performance of “Last Man on Earth,” a track taken from her first album Goodbye (If You Call That Gone), which arrived on February 20.

Speaking recently with The Music, the performer, whose real name is Maya Cumming, reflected on how she discovered rock music during her teenage years. She pointed to Sonic Youth, Bikini Kill, Paramore, Hole and Evanescence as key inspirations during that time.

“I was never from this scene I was always a Taylor Swift pop girl so when I got into rock in my teens, I felt like a fraud,” she said. “These women made me feel seen, and made me realise I didn’t need to fit into all of these moulds I’d made for myself. I had to carve my own space.”

Discussing the album further, MAY A said she intentionally avoided making something overly polished or commercial. “This album is a slow burn; you have to sit with it. I deliberately didn’t make it hi fi, or really catchy and full of hooks. This was as raw as I could make it.”

MAY A’s Goodbye (If You Call That Gone) tour is scheduled to begin April 2 at The Princess Theatre in Brisbane, followed by additional shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle and Adelaide. Her Like a Version performance formed part of triple j’s expanded March programming, which for the first time featured sessions on both Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the month.