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.
lessons
mxmtoon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If not said enough are they forgotten
Do I bite my tongue out of over caution now
Thought I had it all just figured out
But I'm slowing down with questions now
It's okay to step back and look around
Be patient with yourself
There's more room to grow
If you leave your worries on the shelf
Don't look back
Just go forward like you mean it
Say it if you feel it
Life goes so fast
So, go live with good intentions
Today's another lesson
Lost so much from over thinking
My head gets stuck, my feet lose feeling
But the fear's not enough to stop us dreaming now
It ain't easier
Being first to know
There's no need to be so precious
You can let it go
Don't look back
Just go forward like you mean it
Say it if you feel it
Life goes so fast
So, go live with good intentions
Today's another lesson
It'll just take time
Be patient with yourself
There's more room to grow
If you leave your worries on the shelf
Don't look back
Just go forward like you mean it
Say it if you feel it
Life goes so fast
So, go live with good intentions
Today's another lesson
Today's another lesson
Today's another lesson
In "Lessons," mxmtoon speaks about the process of self-discovery and learning from one's experiences. The lyrics suggest that words hold weight, and their impact can be diminished if overused or not expressed frequently enough. The singer questions whether she should hold back from saying things out of caution or express herself freely. However, she acknowledges that it's okay to take a step back and reflect on one's surroundings, and growth takes time.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of overthinking and how it can lead to feelings of stagnation. The singer admits that she has lost a lot due to overthinking, but she encourages listeners not to let their fears stop them from pursuing their dreams. She acknowledges that being the first to know or understand something isn't always easy, but it's crucial to let go of the need to be perfect and embrace the learning process.
Overall, the song's message is one of positivity, encouraging listeners to live with good intentions and focusing on the lessons life has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Do words lose weight if said too often
Do the words we say become less meaningful the more frequently we say them?
If not said enough are they forgotten
If we don't say certain words frequently, will we eventually forget them?
Do I bite my tongue out of over caution now
Am I holding back from speaking my truth because of fear or apprehension?
Thought I had it all just figured out
I used to think I had everything under control or understood, but now I'm not so sure.
But I'm slowing down with questions now
Now I'm taking the time to contemplate and ask questions rather than just rush through life.
It's okay to step back and look around
Sometimes it's important to take a break and assess your life and surroundings to gain perspective.
It'll just take time
Growth and change don't happen overnight, it takes time and patience.
Be patient with yourself
Don't be too hard on yourself, allow yourself time to grow and learn.
There's more room to grow
You are capable of continuing to learn and grow throughout your life.
If you leave your worries on the shelf
If you can learn to let go of your worries or anxieties, you can focus more on personal growth and development.
Don't look back
Don't dwell on the past or things you can't change, focus on moving forward.
Just go forward like you mean it
Move forward in life intentionally and with purpose.
Say it if you feel it
If you have something important to say, don't hold back, speak your truth.
Life goes so fast
Life passes by quickly, so make the most of every moment and opportunity.
So, go live with good intentions
Strive to live your life with a positive impact and good intentions towards those around you.
Today's another lesson
Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow, to become a better version of yourself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Luke A. C. Niccoli, Maia, Micah Rayan Premnath
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lauren880
Lyrics!!
do words lose weight if said too often?
if not said enough are they forgoten
do i bite my tongue out of overcaution now
thought i had it all just figured out
but i’m slowing down with questions now
it’s okay to step back and look around
it’ll just take time be patient with yourself
there’s more room to grow
if you leave your worries on the shelf
dont look back
just go forward like you mean it
say it if you feel it
life goes so fast
so, go liive with good intentions
today’s another lesson
lost so much from over thinking
my head gets stuck,
my feet lose feeling
but the fear’s not enough to stop us dreaming now
it ain’t easier being first to know
there’s no need to be so precious
you can let it go
dont look back
just go forward like you mean it
say it if you feel it
life goes so fast so
go live with good intentions
today’s another les-son
this is such a beautiful song!! im so excited for Dawn!!
@saltwaterrat8113
the way maia stares at the camera is just so calming
@eatingpizza2560
@@sofia-kt6bf nice profile you got there mate
@uglyfatrat3343
@@eatingpizza2560 I'm a Scorpio too☺♏♏
@eatingpizza2560
@@uglyfatrat3343 hello Scorpio fellows!!
@misocompilations1044
Scorpio warrior eyyyy i like ur webtoon profile
@eatingpizza2560
@@misocompilations1044 wassup devil number 4 fan?
@isabellearelle596
I feel like these lyrics are talking about how you shouldn’t try to be someone you’re not and you should always be looking for opportunities to grow and love yourself. This really hit home for me and I’m sure for others. We love you, Maia, and this song is literally amazing <3
@anthonynguyen6748
you are actually partially correct, she said on her Instagram that this song is meant to represent leaving the past and living in the moment
@ju-gc9qf
okay- the vocals in the start is killing me-
we stan
@awesomealiza4351
jxllia YES WE DO!!!!!