Who Are You Listening To? | mxmtoon | TEDxBerkeley

Singer-songwriter mxmtoon (aka Maia) explores how the music industry has rapidly changed for artists and listeners in recent years and calls for a change in the ways we create and consume. mxmtoon curated this playlist for TEDxBerkeley (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/58S...) which is referenced in the beginning of her talk. At 22, singer-songwriter mxmtoon (aka Maia) stands tall as one of the brightest and most engaging voices of her generation. Known for her dreamy pop and introspective lyricism, the Oakland-raised, Brooklyn-based artist is also a gamer, podcaster, and activist, who has built a deep, symbiotic connection with millions of fans through a steady stream of content on TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, and Discord. Since her debut album, she has released an EP for the Life is Strange: True Colors franchise, the soundtrack marked the latest in a steady stream of mxmtoon projects—including a full-length album, podcast, one graphic novel, and a pair of EPs titled dawn and dusk. The acclaimed dawn and dusk (Maia’s second and third EPs, respectively) found the artist broadening the scope of her work—exploring new sounds and fuller production, as well as partnering with outside writers, including Carly Rae Jepsen and Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus. Maia has also become a sought-after collaborator, appearing on projects by Ricky Montgomery, G-Flip, and Noah Kahan, among others. Her latest album rising was released in 2022 and drew critical acclaim from the likes of The New York Times and Song Exploder. As her platform continues to grow, Maia frequently speaks to an array of issues that are close to her heart, including Black Lives Matter, mental health awareness, the environment, and LGBTQ+ rights. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx