On Feb. 14, Maya Hawke announced the release date of her third album, Chaos Angel, and dropped the leading single: “Missing Out.” When you hear the name Maya Hawke, I’m sure the first thing you think of is Stranger Things or many of the other projects she’s been in. Or, you may think of her parents, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Maya is a notable nepotism baby and is likely seen as lucky for that, however, “Missing Out” sees her lamenting the missed normality of growing up and the fundamentals she missed being born into flashing lights and a pre-decided future.
Maya has a certain type of essence that flows throughout her music — a spunky sort of comfort with surprisingly sardonic lyrics. Her 2022 album, Moss, takes me back to flowers blooming in the spring and summer nights in my room. It reminds me of that first drive home from school with the windows down, or a cool breeze, fireflies lighting up the backyard and a lollipop red record spinning in the corner of the room. There’s a certain level of warmth within its eccentricity, and she, once again, did not disappoint with this release.
“I buy booze for the Ivy League with my television salary /
They think they look up to me, ha.”
Buying booze for the Ivy League is likely a nod to Maya’s brother Levon who graduated from Brown University. Maya would often be spotted attending parties at Brown, but she dropped out of acting college early on to star in a TV show production of Little Women. Getting older means realizing the various paths your life could’ve followed — Maya isn’t alone in this. I often find myself wondering what would have happened if I had done certain things differently, and I bet we all wonder what our lives would be like now without a three-year pandemic.
“But I was born with my foot in thе door /
And my mind in the gutter and my guts on the floor.”
Being born into fame can’t be easy. Sure, you may not have to share as many worries as the average person, but it isn’t your choice to be in front of the camera from the very beginning. The line mentioning her guts on the floor ties into the transparency she’s been forced to have her entire life. There’s no chance to have secrets, being in the public eye for so long — no guts to spill because they’ve just been out there on the floor her whole life.
The song continues its build-up to the bridge with a cacophony of jagged guitar, heavy reverb and a mix of irregular electronics, notable to her sound. Using a variety of instruments, Maya traditionally takes her music down a more vintage and retro route. There’s something about her music that makes you feel like your life is being filmed with crackly audio and warmth around the edges.
“I’ve been someone to talk about /
I wanna be someone to talk to /
I’ve bitten off way more than I can spit out.”
These lines, especially, hit hard on the first listen. Although our circumstances may not be the same, I felt that longing to be seen and have a real connection as I feel many of us probably do. Being stuck in the limelight makes it difficult to have truthful and raw connections when you never know people’s true intentions, and this song encapsulates that energy very well.
A new era is approaching, with flowers beginning to bud and a little more sunlight every day. Having followed Maya since the beginning, I’m thrilled to hear more from her. Her music has always been something to fall back on, whether it’s the melancholy of winter or dewy summer mornings. This new chapter is already very promising, and I can’t wait to see what Maya has in store for us.
