We Speak Music

Maxx Nies Brings in Emotional Honesty with “Give Me A Reason”

Published

6 months ago

April 27, 2026

There are moments where existing has felt nearly impossible for emerging artist, Maxx Nies. Based in New York, she has embodied the resilience and grit it takes to get to a point of healing her own past traumas. Audiences can witness a small part of her journey through her single “Give Me A Reason” which was written while she was breaking free of her dependency of medications for her mental health, which is something that many people struggle with especially when starting at such a young age.

The song is packed with deep, sultry bass lines, protruding drums, and a steady beat. The solidity of her work is based on her lyrical vulnerability, which paints a picture of a rough period in her life, without dramatics or over-sharing chronicles. It’s interesting to note that Taylor Swift has been a major influence in her musical career, but understandable when it comes to the vulnerability needed in particular, moving ballads. The overall sonic world leans slightly more towards the likings of BANKS in my opinion, with the signature alt-pop grit and integrity.

It’ll be an interesting journey to see how her artistic identity develops as she proceeds to release more new music. There is great potential in terms of experimental aspects, as much as alt-pop can allow itself to be. The subtle unexpected sound design choices were noticeable halfway through the song, which propelled the song further into the complexities of her emotions.

As a whole, the darker themes discussed in this single, and in majority of her music, has served as a way to process unresolved feelings and traumas. Nies doesn’t sugar-coat but also provides a space that allows people to process their own story through her experience. Yes, at one point, existing was difficult for Nies. But the healing she has been through is enough to show that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

More from We Speak Media:

We Speak Pop

Doja Cat Brings the Tour Ma Vie World Tour to Scotiabank Arena on November 25

Published

2 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Leo Bodei

Portrait of Doja Cat with long blonde hair against a dark background.

Doja Cat. Photo courtesy of Doja Cat on Instagram.

Doja Cat brings her Tour Ma Vie World Tour to Toronto on Wednesday, November 25, with a 7:30 p.m. show at Scotiabank Arena. It is one of the last stops on the biggest headlining run of her career, and it lands in the middle of a heavy week for the building.

The tour supports Vie, her fifth studio album, released in September 2025. The record is an 1980s inspired turn back toward pop, led by the singles “Jealous Type” and “Gorgeous,” and the live show has been built as a full scale arena production. Latto joins the bill as special guest for the entire North American leg, which runs 31 dates from the October 1 opener in Detroit to the December 1 finale at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Toronto gets the show near the end of the run, with Boston on November 23 before it and Montreal on November 27 after it. By the time she reaches Scotiabank Arena, the production will have played more than twenty North American arenas, on top of earlier legs across Oceania, Asia, Latin America and Europe. Earlier in November the tour also plays Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Atlanta.

Fans have been getting a look inside the tour straight from Doja Cat herself. She has been filming the run on Ray-Ban Meta glasses, posting point of view footage from backstage, soundchecks and life on the road, so the Toronto crowd will see a show that has been documented almost night by night. Tickets for November 25 are on sale through Ticketmaster. With the Garden shows in New York closing the tour one week later, the Toronto date is one of the final chances to see this production before the run wraps.