Recording with GarageBand in her parents' guest bedroom, creating percussion tracks with hair straighteners, Maia began self-releasing songs on YouTube as "mxmtoon" in 2017. After initially attempting to write comedy songs, she began writing songs that embodied her emotions such as "feelings are fatal", which only required a USB microphone and GarageBand. The song currently has over 23 million streams on Spotify. Her 2017 collaboration with Japanese lo-fi producer peachy!, "Falling for U", reached nearly 40 million streams on Spotify by June 2019. Maia began secretly releasing music to the public, but was later compelled to tell her friends and family after experiencing viral success online. In 2018, Maia released her debut EP, plum blossom, which was reviewed by Earmilk, i-D and Hypebeast, and gained more than 100 million streams on Spotify by August 2019. The EP's single "i feel like chet" is a tribute to one of her favorite jazz musicians, Chet Baker.
After high school, Maia took a "gap year" by postponing college to focus on her music. She was planning to study architecture after graduating high school, until her music went viral in April 2018. In November 2018, she announced her "plum blossom tour". Her first tour, initially scheduled for five US shows with fellow Californian singer-songwriter khai dreams in March 2019, sold out, and was extended to include additional concerts in North America and Europe, including opening appearances for bedroom pop YouTuber Cavetown in the United Kingdom. Maia made her first appearance on a billboard in Times Square when Spotify advertised her single "dream of you" for their New Music Friday playlist.
Prior to the release of the masquerade, Spotify announced the release of 21 Days, a music podcast that follows Maia while she works on the album in New York City. Liz Gateley of Spotify praised Maia's online following as well as her social presence, stating that "She obviously has lots of followers already, but that's not enough. The person had to be the right human too, and we felt she had both." The podcast is an eight-episode audio diary that includes interviews with family, friends and collaborators, including the album's producer Cavetown.
Maia's debut studio album the masquerade was released on September 17, 2019. The album peaked at 17 on the US Heatseekers Chart and at 45 on the US Indie Albums Chart. It features "prom dress", a "light and peachy tune" described as "relatable, infectious hook-led pop that speaks to millennials". The single is inspired by experiences from her own big night and deals with social anxiety and the problems that come with being a teen in modern society. The song has been streamed over 30 million times on Spotify, and has been used in 100,000 videos on TikTok. Maia's back catalogue of songs have also received tens of millions of online streams.
Joshua Bote of Paste described the ten-track album as "comforting twee-pop that wrings out genuine pathos from mxmtoon’s internet celebrity". Matt Yuyitung of Exclaim! wrote "[Maia] brings her wry sense of humour and diary-entry lyricism to her debut record, recalling the lo-fi relatability of Frankie Cosmos."
Maia embarked on her sold out "the masquerade Tour" of North America and United Kingdom in September 2019. She released her first graphic novel "The Adventures Of Mxmtoon: The Masquerade" in October 2019. Kirsten Spruch from Billboard wrote, "The novel seamlessly pairs with the album, encapsulating her introverted, teenage tendencies and free-flowing creativity." Gabe Bergado from Teen Vogue described the book "a captivating, charming visual journey that complements the dreamy album." She released an accompanying animated short film for the graphic novel in November 2019.
In November 2019, Maia announced via Twitter that she would be joining American singer-songwriter Lauv for his 2020 summer tour of Asia supporting his album how i'm feeling.
On November 19, 2019, Kobalt Music Group announced that they would be signing mxmtoon to their label under a global publishing deal. This deal will include administration and creative support for current music catalogue and future works. Creative Vice-President at Kobalt, Melissa Emert-Hutner, stated "Maia is truly the voice of her generation; by sharing her beautiful, heartfelt music with the world and growing her brand organically, she exemplifies the DIY spirit and aesthetic that Kobalt embraces." Emily Bines, a senior creative director at Kobalt added "Mxmtoon is exactly the type of forward-thinking creative that we dream about working with at Kobalt. Her vision, matched with her team’s passion to bring it to fruition is unwavering. We will be hearing from Maia for a long time to come."
Maia released the masquerade (the edits) on November 22, 2019. The EP features remixes from songs on the masquerade from names like Chloe Lilac, Alexander 23 and Chloe Moriondo. In November 2019, Dork put Maia on their Hype List of 2020, alongside names like girl in red, Beabadoobee and Maisie Peters.
In December 2019, Maia re-recorded the song "prom dress" in Simlish, the fictional language used in The Sims games, to help promotion. The Simlish version was added to The Sims 4 on December 12, 2019. Maia reacted on Twitter with "countless hours of playing the sims has helped me become fluent in simlish... and guess what?? prom dress was just added to #thesims4 today!" A week later Maia released the music video for "unspoken words", which revolves around her Chinese-American upbringing as well as her relationship with her Chinese grandmother.
Maia released her first single of 2020, "Fever Dream" in January 2020.
fever dream
mxmtoon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't hold your cards too close is what they say
Now, love is just another leap of faith
But I jump right in
I took the train, I took the car
I didn't know just where I'd fall
Or where it'd take me
Another step, another stair
I'll never know if I'll get there
But just maybe
I want something more than
More than restless mornings
Gettin' by's so boring
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
Take another look before it goes
Days are only footprints in the snow
How far away can I walk 'til I'm way too far from home?
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
I want something more than
More than restless mornings
Gettin' by's so boring
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
Take your time, enjoy it
Every fleeting moment
Gettin' by's so boring
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
I took the train, I took the car
I didn't know just where I'd fall
Or where it'd take me
Another step, another stair
I'll never know if I'll get there
But just maybe
I want something more than
More than restless mornings
Gettin' by's so boring
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
Take your time, enjoy it
Every fleeting moment
Gettin' by's so boring
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
The song starts with the lyrics "Life's a losing game when you don't play" and immediately sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer talks about how love is just another leap of faith and they seem to have taken that leap by jumping right in. They talk about taking the train and the car without knowing where they'll fall or where it will take them. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for taking risks in life without knowing the outcome – and not being afraid to do so. The chorus is a plea for more than the ordinary, more than just "restless mornings" and "getting by", indicating a desire for a more fulfilling life.
The second verse has the same feel as the first, with the singer still taking risks and not knowing where they'll end up. They wonder how far they can go before they're too far from home, but they don't know the answer. The chorus repeats, emphasizing how unfulfilling ordinary life can be. The final lines repeat the first verse, bringing the song full circle.
Overall, the song is about taking risks and not being afraid of the unknown. It's about living a fulfilling life and not settling for "getting by".
Line by Line Meaning
Life's a losing game when you don't play
Not taking risks is a surefire way to lose in life.
Don't hold your cards too close is what they say
It's common advice to not keep your plans secret.
Now, love is just another leap of faith
Starting a relationship is a risk that requires faith.
But I jump right in
I choose to take the risk and commit to love.
I took the train, I took the car
I'm willing to go anywhere to find meaning.
I didn't know just where I'd fall
I don't have a specific plan or destination in mind.
Or where it'd take me
I'm open to the unknown and unpredictable.
Another step, another stair
Every move I make is just another step on the journey.
I'll never know if I'll get there
Success is uncertain and may not even be the goal.
But just maybe
There's always some hope of finding what I'm looking for.
Take your time, enjoy it
Life is too short to rush through without savoring it.
Every fleeting moment
Each second is precious and should not be wasted.
Take another look before it goes
Appreciate what you have while you have it.
Days are only footprints in the snow
The passing of time is temporary and leaves a temporary mark.
How far away can I walk 'til I'm way too far from home?
How much can I explore and still be connected to what matters?
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
I don't have all the answers and that's okay.
I want something more than...
I desire more than just going through the motions of life.
More than restless mornings
I want more than only feeling aimless and unfulfilled.
Gettin' by's so boring
Merely surviving is mundane and uninspiring.
Ah-ooh, ah-ooh
This line is a vocalization without a specific meaning.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Luke Niccoli, mxmtoon, Micah Premnath
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lexi
on feelings are fatal
ok I've seen a lot of things about people being the funny friend and stuff but what about that one friend who shows everyone so much love and support and is forgiving and kind and always smiling, and lets not forget the ones who give the best wisdom. I have been labeled these things I give so much yet I cannot take my own advice, I get hurt,betrayed,bullied. Love practically seeps out of my pores, and yet all this bad stuff has happened to me. Still I am not giving up on this war , yeah sure it's gonna hurt and suck and it may feel like i'll never win but I got this! and so do you!
||||||Look down here! Trust me! | || | | |
vvvvvv v v v v v v
I believe in you and hey it'll be ok. Listen,
Whatever you may ever be going through or will or have gone through just know life is like a flowing river there is always going to be points where there's rocks that cross your path and sometimes current picks up and everything will be flying by and it maybe stressful but just know it's only temporarily, besides every river always finds its path again and flows. It may seem like it never will but it will and your life your river will always come across leaves or events good or bad and they will flow with you but eventually end so never just focus on that leaf, and you will cross paths with animals like fish squirrels or people in your life sometimes they're only there temporarily or sometimes the fish will flow with your or your close friends will stick with you sometimes they will seem like they disappeared but their still there in the background sometimes something may come up that slows them or you down like a bird or rock but they pull through and you do too. It all depends if you let the obstacles stop you or not. Find your fish(s) keep them close and remember They will always be here for you and they shall flow with you and it may seem like you guys get distant but never worry they'll always be there and come back they'll never leave you. Wi the war I believe in you! You got this! Tons of people are there for you ! I'm here for you! I know how hard it is but keep going! I promise overtime you'll have your happily ever after like everyone else and guess what you will have the best one because you've gone and persevered more than some . You aren't alone you never are or were, you will find your light whether its a person or a thing you will find it/them. They will help you and continue to help in the long run. You could find a thing too and it will be there for you to! It's ok it's ok to cry and feel emotions and its ok to eat its ok to look different or be different it's ok to love anyone want as long as their in legal age and not a child you get what I mean. Everything will be ok so don't give up, everything will play out in the long run I promise. Now enjoy this song, show mxmtoon support she's amazing and her music is even better if its possible, and it's ok to get help it was the hardest thing for me to do but i'm doing it now and i'm getting better i'm winning the war! Now seriously, Go enjoy your life! You got this!