The younger of two daughters born to Harry May and Daphne E. Walton,[6][7] May lived in Frampton-on-Severn when she was young and attended Stroud High School and later Cheltenham Ladies' College.

She played clarinet from an early age, before studying classical singing at Cheltenham.

She also worked with Tony Coe, Nikki Iles, Stan Sulzmann, Ray Bryant, Enrico Pieranunzi, Patrick Villanueva [fr][10] and with Ray Guntrip, on three albums, including her final studio outing, Mood In Blue, which was released in 2023.

In addition, she regularly attached workshops and masterclasses to her own tours.

[12] They later divorced and, at the time of her death, May's partner of roughly two and a half years was saxophonist Simon Spillett.