Adulthood is often marked by uncertainty, with each transition bringing new challenges that can leave young people feeling adrift — or, as singer/songwriter mxmtoon describes it, “being suspended in the unknown.”
Maia, professionally known as mxmtoon, is a 24-year-old California-native who has been making music for nearly eight years. Her career began on YouTube, where she would post simple covers of her singing and playing the ukulele. After years of steady growth, mxmtoon released her third studio album “Liminal Space” last year.
Before attending the concert, I had only heard two of mxmtoon’s songs, “prom dress” and “Falling for U.” Meanwhile, for better or for worse, those songs instantly took me back to 2020 when I was a dorky high school first-year and, just like everyone else, had way too much time on their hands. I remember how “prom dress” was relatable to a lot of the Gen-Z population because it hit the key notes on how hard being an adolescent is, especially when you had days on end to ponder about yourself.
Even with little knowledge of mxmtoon before the show, I was still super excited to see her perform. Brooklyn’s music scene is arguably one of the most unique. I mean, there’s only a few places I could name where you can catch an indie pop concert inside a bowling alley. The concert opened with Katherine Li, an up and coming Toronto-based singer who definitely brought some good vibes to the crowd with her hopelessly romantic ballads.
The set began with two fun and upbeat hits that immediately captivated the crowd and my favorite of the two was called “i hate texas.” Even without knowing the song, it was clear from the moment she stepped on stage how deeply she connected with her music and her audience. Her performance radiated joy, and I could truly tell she loves performing for others. Watching her light up while performing and seeing the crowd engage was heartwarming. She followed those with “prom dress” and a rock revamp of “seasonal depression.”
She opened up a lot about the background behind her lyrics, like in “rain,” which talks about her mixed-race identity and being a queer woman. She spoke candidly about her desire to collaborate exclusively with women, highlighting the empowerment behind that choice and brought moments of levity through her self-aware humor and relatability. Throughout the night, she reminded the audience that her songs are not just hers, but theirs too. That honesty resonated with me and seeing her fans in awe made me so happy. It is clear that many of her supporters have grown up alongside her music, navigating similar milestones. Her lyrics follow many themes, some of which I personally resonate with like the uncertainty of adulthood, the fear of choosing the “right” path, the chaos of moving to a new city and the pressure of defining one’s future.
The show ended on an energetic high note with a crowd-pleasing favorite, “dance (end of the world),” which felt like a bittersweet end to an amazing performance. By the end of the night, I left not only feeling like I heard some great music, but I also felt seen as another twenty-something figuring things out.
