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.
i feel like chet
mxmtoon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fall too hard
One simple chat
I've got no guard
I feel like Chet
It's way too easy
Falling in love
Oh, isn't that cheesy
I sit around all day
Just listening to love songs
Thinking about how someday
My someone will come along
I'm a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can't help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
My glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
I live on dreams
Above the clouds
Creating crushes
Out of crowds
Molding stories
Out of clay
Knowing that
It's all for play
It's all for play
I'd like to believe that
Something could happen with me
But I don't talk and I don't chat
I just lay awake hoping I'll find the key
I'm a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can't help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
My glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
Ooo ooo oooo ooo ooo
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
Ooo ooo oooo ooo ooo
(I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat)
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
Cause it'd fall flat
In "I Feel Like Chet," mxmtoon vividly describes the hopelessly romantic tendencies that contribute to her idealistic perception of love. The first two lines suggest that she can quickly fall for someone and lose control of her emotions. She compares herself to the famous jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, known for his smoky, dreamy tracks about love and heartache. The line "it's way too easy falling in love" seems to express her frustration with how effortless it is to develop feelings for someone, even if there isn't any genuine connection.
The second verse highlights mxmtoon's tendency to daydream about love rather than actively seeking it out. She paints a picture of herself creating crushes on anyone and everyone, and molding stories in her mind about what could be. She acknowledges that much of this is just for fun and that she is a "hopeless romantic, afraid of commitment." However, she also admits that she can't help thinking about love, and that her "glasses are tinted rose pink," meaning her perspective is decidedly optimistic when it comes to relationships.
The chorus repeats "I feel like Chet, but I won't chat, no not with you, cause it'd fall flat." Here, mxmtoon reveals that although she might daydream about love frequently, she won't act on it because of her fear of rejection. She describes herself as someone who lives above the clouds and only feels comfortable in the fictional world she creates, rather than taking risks and trying to find love in reality.
Overall, "I Feel Like Chet" is a relatable depiction of the kind of daydreaming that almost everyone indulges in at some point, but it also reveals the limitations of idealistic thinking when it comes to love. While it may be comfortable to live in a fantasy world, mxmtoon suggests that taking risks and putting oneself out there is necessary to have a chance at finding real love.
Line by Line Meaning
It's really bad
I have a problem with falling too hard for someone too quickly
I fall too hard
I tend to become infatuated too easily
One simple chat
A conversation with someone I like can make me enamored with them
I've got no guard
I am very vulnerable to letting people in emotionally
I feel like Chet
I relate to the persona of Chet Baker, a jazz musician known for frequently falling in love
It's way too easy
It's easy for me to develop crushes on people
Falling in love
Becoming infatuated with someone I like a lot
Oh, isn't that cheesy
I am aware that my romantic tendencies are cliché
I sit around all day
I spend a lot of time alone
Just listening to love songs
I consume media that feeds my hopeless romantic tendencies
Thinking about how someday
I imagine a future where I am with someone I love
My someone will come along
I believe that there is a specific person out there meant for me
I'm a hopeless romantic
I have a strong romantic inclination that is idealistic and unrealistic
Afraid of commitment
I am hesitant to commit to a relationship due to my insecurity or fear of losing my independence
But I can't help that I like to think
I am aware that my thoughts and fantasies are unrealistic, but I cannot stop thinking that way
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
Despite my realistic outlook, I still view love through an idealistic lens
I live on dreams
I rely on my hopes and fantasies to keep me going
Above the clouds
My idealism has me floating above reality
Creating crushes
I often fancy people that I don’t know well
Out of crowds
I often fancy people that I don’t know well, who are interchangeable with one another
Molding stories
I create imaginary scenarios in my head about how a relationship would play out
Out of clay
I have the power to shape the relationship narrative according to my whims
Knowing that
Recognizing that my fantasies are only that
It's all for play
Acknowledging that my ideas of romance are just for fun
I'd like to believe that
Although I know the reality of my romantic situations, I still hope they'll work out
Something could happen with me
I am optimistic that someday I will find the romantic happiness I crave
But I don't talk and I don't chat
I don't like to initiate conversation with people I'm interested in
I just lay awake hoping I'll find the key
I quietly think about a potential romantic partner, wishing that I had the courage to converse and spark a connection
I feel like Chet
Reiterating that I identify with the person of Chet Baker
But I won't chat
I am resistant to take the initiative with someone I'm interested in
No not with you
Not with the person who is attempting to engage with me romantically
Cause it'd fall flat
I fear that initiating chat or a relationship with someone would end in rejection or failure
Ooo ooo oooo ooo ooo
A vocalization that emphasizes a frustrated or contemplative mood.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: mxmtoon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Yeonjunnie
It's really bad
I fall too hard
One simple chat
I've got no guard
I feel like Chet
It's way too easy
Falling in love
Oh, isn't that cheesy
Oh, isn't that cheesy
I sit around all day
Just listening to love songs
Thinking about how someday
My someone will come along
I'm a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can't help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
My glasses are tinted rose pink
(feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I live on dreams
Above the clouds
Creating crushes
Out of crowds
Molding stories
Out of clay
Knowing that
It's all for play
It's all for play
I'd like to believe that
Something could happen with me
But I don't talk and I don't chat
I just lay awake hoping I'll find the key
I'm a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can't help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
My glasses are tinted rose pink
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
I feel like Chet
But I won't chat
No not with you
'Cause it'd fall flat
Stoly
It’s really bad
I fall too hard
One simple chat
I’ve got no guard
I feel like Chet
It’s way too easy
Falling in love
Oh, isn’t that cheesy
Oh, isn’t that cheesy
I sit around all day
Just listening to love songs
Thinking about how someday
My someone will come along
I’m a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can’t help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
My glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
I live on dreams
Above the clouds
Creating crushes
Out of crowds
Molding stories
Out of clay
Knowing that
It’s all for play
It’s all for play
I’d like to believe that
Something could happen with me
But I don’t talk and I don’t chat
I just lay awake hoping I’ll find the key
I’m a hopeless romantic
Afraid of commitment
But I can’t help that I like to think
Though my glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
My glasses are tinted rose pink
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
Ooo ooo oooo ooo ooo
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
Ooo ooo oooo ooo ooo
(I feel like Chet
But I won’t chat
No not with you
'Cause it’d fall flat)
mxmtoon
i bought those glasses as a joke just so i could look like the heart eye emoji!! good things work out
elillithiz
I love them!💕
Pami Renderos
Those r supper cute❣️💕💖😍💞
laney d
where did you get them??
Life Imitates Art
You actually look like it ❤️😂
Jazzy Rich
I love your music so much 💗
Tessa Violet
I can't believe this is the first time I've seen this!!!! yes girl!!
mxmtoon
Tessa Violet Love you!!!
greerzy
TESSA!!!
doda
Tessa Violet one of my favorite artists has commented on another of my favorite artists’ mv. am I hallucinating?