Composing songs and recording them right from her house, 19 year old singer and songwriter MXMTOON also known as Maia has been entrancing listeners with her dreamy ballads since gaining recognition in 2018. Known for her songs encompassing the day to day struggles, triumphs, and all around mess of being a teenager, MXMTOON’s songs are ones which listeners can connect with on a deeper level. The ukulele-playing teen from Oakland, California released her debut EP Plum Blossom in December of 2018. This drew her into the public eye with her song Prom Dress being streamed millions of times on Spotify. Starting this year, she is performing across the U.S. and England on tour. Using platforms such as Tik Tok, Youtube and others, she has charmed fans with her deeply heartfelt songs and charming, quirky personality.

Her newest album The Masquerade, features a previously released single and a fan favorite song: Prom Dress. Speaking of the doubt, sheer disappointment, and agony she faces over her lacking prom night, MXMTOON’s lyrics are dipped in tones of sadness and a feeling of loss. Drawing from her personal feelings, she contrasts her ideals of how she believed prom would be like and how it actually occurred. Reflecting over her years in high school, she can’t help but feel like she shied away from showing her true colors. Painting a narrative with her words, she depicts the pain teens might feel in situations where they don’t feel like they fit in. Her vocals add a melodic sound to the sad and gloomy lyrics. The line “I’d be the Prom Queen if crying was a contest” adds to the melancholic tone of this beautifully sung song. She describes her different personalities as “masks upon” her “wall”, varying her different faces around different people.

Another song from The Masquerade is the Blame Game which chronicles the singer’s regret over finding a romantic interest in someone who doesn’t appreciate her. She feels like she has given her heart and soul to someone who isn’t loyal and doesn’t reciprocate her feelings. Simply wanting a person who cares about her, she expresses the pain and rejection she feels in the relationship. The song Dream of You describes MXMTOON contemplating a dream of the happy memories regarding her significant other and the nostalgia she feels when thinking of them and the great affection they have shared without the complication of a serious relationship. It’s a discussion on the intensity and rapidity of their mutual affection for one another, and the regret she feels over how soon the relationship ended.

The Masquerade encapsulates feelings of rejection, heartache, and introspection, highlighted by MXMTOON’s witty lyrics and soft voice. By creating her own album cover art and singing songs of love and sorrow, she so eloquently describes her life and the trials and tribulations she feels. The album is relatable on many levels, and by listening to her songs, I was able to connect with MXMTOON’s thoughts with the added bonus of catchy lyrics staying in my brain for days.