In 1980, I recorded another self-titled album for Polygram. The following year, with turbulent passages through all the major labels in Brazil, I released again through Seroma the album Nuvens, which flopped due to inefficient distribution. To earn cash for his future albums, I was a guest in songs by Fevers, Edu Lobo and Chico Buarque, Ivan Lins and Sandra de Sá. His collaboration with Sá, "Vale Tudo"​, later became a solo hit. In 1983 I had hits with "O Descobridor dos Sete Mares"​ and "Me Dê Motivo"​, included on O Descobridor dos Sete Mares (Polygram). Another milestone of his career in the 1980s was Tim Maia (1986), which had the hit "Do Leme ao Pontal (Tomo Guaraná, Suco de Caju, Goiabada Para Sobremesa)"​.In 1990, I saw Caetano Veloso's songbook and asked editor Almir Chediak to do one for his own work. Chediak was working on such an album with bossa nova classics, and Maia requested a copy, which eventually inspired him to do a self-released album of bossa nova covers, After a period of poor presence in the media, I was again on top after being mentioned by Jorge Ben Jor's "W/Brasil"​ in 1991. In the same period, I had another hit with his re-recording of Lulu Santos'​ "Como uma Onda"​ for a television advertisement - Santos in return recorded Maia's "Descobridor dos Sete Mares.At the same time, I withdrew from majors, recording his next albums through Vitória Régia, including What a Wonderful World (1997), where he recorded American pop/soul classics, and Amigos do Rei/Tim Maia e Os Cariocas, with the famous vocal group.

In 1970 I recorded my first full-length LP, Tim Maia, which included the classics "Azul da Cor do Mar"​, "Coroné Antônio Bento"​, and "Primavera"​, and topped the charts for 24 weeks in Rio de Janeiro. My first four albums were all self-titled. Next year's I had other hits including "Não Quero Dinheiro (Só Quero Amar)"​ and "Preciso Aprender a Ser Só"​. My fourth album, released in 1973, included "Réu Confesso"​ and "Gostava Tanto de Você"​. Angry at how the music publisher distributed the royalties, Maia opened his own, Seroma (derived from the first syllables of his first, middle and last names), to make sure he had a bigger cut of the profits.After his fourth album, I left Polydor for RCA Victor, who offered me a chance to record a double album. The instrumental parts were all ready when Maia went to his composing friend Tibério Gaspar for help with the lyrics. In my house Maia found the book Universo em Desencanto (Universe in Disenchantment), revolving around the cult of Rational Culture. RCA rejected the albums Tim Maia Racional, Vols. 1 & 2 for the newly found spiritual content, but Maia bought the master tapes from them and released the albums independently through label Seroma Discos, which would split its profits with the cult. Eventually I could only perform at events promoted by the Rational Culture. For my return in 1976, Maia signed with Polygram and recorded an album also titled Tim Maia, which included the hit "Rodésia"​ (inspired by the Rhodesian Bush War), and also did a self-published album in English.[10] In 1977 Maia signed with Som Livre, where he recorded the album Verão Carioca. In 1978 Maia signed with Warner Bros. Records and incorporated the disco sound of the period in the album Tim Maia Disco Club, which spawned the hits "Sossego"​ and "Acenda o Farol"​.[12][13] In 1979 Maia recorded Reencontro for EMI-Odeon, but revolted at the label's estimated promotion costs which were the same as the money spent recording,

After returning, I had a few unsuccessful jobs and a sad arrests in Rio. Eventually I decided to move to São Paulo to try and get help to kickstart his musical career from Carlos, who was beginning to enjoy the massive success of Jovem Guarda with Esteves. Carlos was inaccessible, but I started to perform in São Paulo's nightlife and in Wilson Simonal's radio program, and also had a televised appearance at TV Bandeirantes with Os Mutantes. By the end of 1967 I managed to send a homemade recording to Carlos, who got Maia a deal for a single at CBS and an appearance on the Jovem Guarda TV program. My first single in 1968, "Meu País"​ backed by "Sentimento"​, went unnoticed, as was another single, "These Are the Songs"​/"What Do You Want to Bet?"​, recorded in English for RGE Discos. I also wrote one of Carlos'​ hits, "Não Vou Ficar"​.He became more visible after 1969 when he launched his "These Are the Songs,"​ which was re-recorded by Elis Regina in the next year in a duo with Maia. I managed a deal with Polydor/Philips and recorded the successful single "Primavera".[5]

I was born in the Tijuca neighbourhood, in the southern suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. I began writing melodies while still I was child, the second youngest of nineteen children. Then known as "Tião Maia"​, I wrote his earliest songs at age eight. At fourteen, as a drummer, I formed the group Os Tijucanos do Ritmo, which lasted one year. I then took guitar classes and was soon teaching other children in Tijuca. I also gave lessons to his friends Erasmo Esteves and Roberto Carlos, fellow members of the so-called Matoso Gang. Named after the street where they used to hang out, the gang also included Jorge Ben and Erasmo Carlos, among others. They liked to listen to the earliest styles of rock and roll, with both Maia and Ben being nicknamed "Babulina"​ after their enthusiastic pronunciation of Ronnie Self's song "Bop-A-Lena"​.In 1957, me Carlos, Arlênio Silva, Edson Trindade and Wellington started the vocal group The Sputniks. After a televised appearance on Carlos Imperial's Clube do Rock on TV Tupi, Imperial arranged a solo appearance for Roberto Carlos the following week. Ia got annoyed at this, leading him to insult Carlos in the following rehearsals until his bandmate left the group. After watching Carlos'​ concert the following week, Maia left The Sputniks, and went after Imperial for a solo appearance. Imperial eventually suggested another artistic name, Tim, which I accepted with reservations.In 1959, I went to study in the United States, where I lived for four years. I joined a vocal harmony ensemble, The Ideals, and wrote the lyrics to "New Love"​, which was recorded as a demo with guest percussion by a young Milton Banana. I also recorded the song as a soloist in 1973). The group's career was derailed in 1963 when I sadly was arrested for possession of marijuana and deported back to Brazil.