Maia

Maia, professionally known as mxmtoon, is an American singer-songwriter, social media personality, and internet creator recognized for her introspective bedroom pop and ukulele-driven acoustic music. Born in Oakland, California, she gained initial prominence by self-releasing her music on YouTube and SoundCloud from her bedroom. Known for her confessional lyricism, relatable storytelling, and warm vocal delivery, she quickly built a global online fanbase. Over the course of her career, Maia has transitioned from DIY social media sharing to releasing acclaimed studio albums, touring internationally, and collaborating with prominent artists across the indie pop landscape.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Maia was born on July 9, 2000, in Oakland, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Coming from a multicultural background of Chinese-American heritage on her mother's side and German and Scottish ancestry on her father's side, she was immersed in music from an early age, learning cello, trumpet, and guitar before picking up the ukulele in middle school. In 2017, using the handle mxmtoon—a username she originally created to share cartoon drawings—she began posting original songs and cover versions recorded on GarageBand from her family's guest bedroom. Her breakthrough came with early self-released tracks such as 'Falling for U' and her debut EP, Plum Blossom (2018), which accumulated over 100 million streams independently.

Music Releases and Success

In September 2019, Maia released her debut full-length studio album, The Masquerade, featuring her hit single 'Prom Dress,' which gained viral popularity on TikTok and solidified her standing as an indie-pop sensation. She followed this success with twin EPs, Dawn and Dusk (2020), which expanded her production palette through collaborations with artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen. In 2022, she released her second studio album, Rising, followed by her third album, Liminal Space, in 2024. Beyond her solo catalog, Maia contributed vocal work as the singing voice for Alex Chen in the 2021 narrative video game Life Is Strange: True Colors.

Digital Content and Personal Life

In addition to her music career, Maia is an active streamer on Twitch and content creator across platforms like YouTube and TikTok. She hosted the daily music podcast 365 Days with mxmtoon and has released graphic novels alongside her musical projects. Maia advocates publicly for mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and representation for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. She splits her time between her Northern California roots and Brooklyn, New York, maintaining a close, open relationship with her audience.