Mxmtoon on Tour in September, Shares New Track “High and Dry”
Photo Credit: Lauren Tepfer
Maia, the singer songwriter behind Mxmtoon, presents upbeat sounds paired with a breezy ukulele and somber lyrics. An eighteen-year-old hailing from the Bay Area, she focuses on writing about her genuine feelings in songs, which she’s labeled “rhyming dairy entries” that shed light on her life as a teenager. While many take on the mantle of sadness, there is an undeniable tinge of optimism to her music.
Reminiscent of artists like Dodie, Wallows, Conan Gray, and Cavetown, Mxmtoon lends itself to tunes of chiming summer days tugging heartstrings with sorrowful words. Her debut EP Plum Blossom was recorded in her parent’s guest room and relates sentiments many teenagers have, focusing significantly on body confidence. With all the attention she’s received, Maia has had the opportunity to talk about issues that closely affect her, being a young Chinese-American bisexual woman. Her down to earth lyrics span across many topics as she writes scenes from her life.
The newly released “High and Dry” from her debut album The Masquerade details an immature and hurtful ex-lover alongside Maia’s acknowledgement of her lover’s pitfalls and promise to fight back. With a bright, calm voice, Maia’s song resonates with the mixed feelings of looking back on a failed, poignant relationship.
While Maia admits she does not have an extensive amount of experience in the love department, her other songs tend to be more personal. Off the same album, her song “Prom Dress” narrates her thought process on her senior year of high school, culminating with a moment that she tweeted while it happened, sharing a simple “Crying in my prom dress.”
The tune is light and peachy, despite the song’s sad lyrics on broken expectations, regrets, and sorrow. It perfectly encapsulates the moment many of us come across. A conglomeration of looking forward, looking back, wanting to get away from yourself, and a refusal to ask for help.
In connection with the namesake of the album, Maia addresses what made her turn to songwriting, explaining, “Writing songs was a way to express all the things I couldn’t talk about in face-to-face interactions, and share them with a community of people who maybe also needed to put up a facade to get through the day.” And share them she has.
The introverted Maia was surprised that her private thoughts struck a chord with so many people. Appearing as the cover of Spotify’s “Sad Vibe” playlist and claiming over 338K followers on YouTube, she has scored millions of streams to date. A substantial amount of her upcoming Fall 2019 tour has already sold out, and it is clear Maia’s music has resonated with people globally.
Her new album is available for pre-order now, and will be released with accompanying acoustic versions in September.
Tour Dates
9/19 - Portland, OR @ Holocene SOLD OUT
9/20 - Vancouver, BC @ Rio
9/21 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile SOLD OUT
9/27 - Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy SOLD OUT
9/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy
10/1 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
10/2 - San Diego, CA @ Voodoo Room @ House of Blues SOLD OUT
10/4 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room SOLD OUT
10/5 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
10/12 - Washington, DC @ All Things Go Festival
10/19 - 10/20 - Las Vegas, NV @ Metarama Circus Gaming Festival
10/22 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
10/23 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
10/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ Amsterdam Hall
10/26 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/27- Detroit, MI @ Shelter
10/31 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
11/6 - Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
11/8 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair SOLD OUT
11/9 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
11/11 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade SOLD OUT
11/15 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre SOLD OUT
12/1 - Southampton, UK @ Engine Room*
12/2 - Birmingham, UK @ Academy 2* SOLD OUT
12/3 - Norwich, UK @ Epic*
12/5 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club* SOLD OUT
12/6 - Glasgow, UK @ The Garage* SOLD OUT
12/7 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 2* SOLD OUT
12/8 - Dublin, Ireland @ Dublin Academy Green Room* SOLD OUT
12/10 - Bristol, UK @ The Fleece* SOLD OUT
12/12 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom*
*supporting Cavetown
