She is also an alumna of the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus.,[4] where she starred in Carmen, Tosca, Pied Piper of Hamlin, The Very Last Green Thing and The Nut Cracker.

She is the third youngest contestant in American Idol's history to reach the live finals after Lauren Alaina and Daniel Seavey.

[6] After being deemed as a front-runner to win by judge Jennifer Lopez and fans, Watson was announced as the act with lowest number of votes for Top 8 reveal night.

[9] Later in the year, she appeared on Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington's collaborative EP Dinner Party: Dessert, contributing guest vocals to the song "Love You Bad" with Phoelix.

Later that same year, Malaya would appear on the Terrace Martin album Drones, contributing vocals to "Evil Eye" with rapper YG.