Maxine Ashley Returns

How are you doing? 

I’m doing good. Just in Canada for Canadian Thanksgiving, so I’m on your time in Toronto.

Oh, perfect, I was hoping it wasn't too early. I was reading into you a bit, and this theme of technology you have going on really resonated with me. Do you remember a time when you weren't dependent on screens or social media?

Yeah. Before I turned 10 and got my first [phone], I believe it was the iPhone 4 or 5.

What did it feel like to not be overstimulated at the time? Do you remember?

For sure. It’s funny because this whole album talks about the opposite of that. I don't know if you've noticed this sort of grey theme, but everything kind of turned grey. Before I was overstimulated, life was so colorful. I mean that both physically and metaphorically. And, of course, that actually does scientifically have to do with your eyesight, but it felt like I was less jaded, and I was delusional. I try to apply that childhood wonder to a lot of aspects of my work and my life, but I think it's also important to talk about what it feels like, you know, just not applying those aspects and what most of us now, Gen Z, are forced to live with every day.

You mention feeling addicted to the serotonin and dopamine release from being on social media. How do you balance that with your creative process?

I think social media is a tool, and you have to use it right. If I let social media dictate what I do creatively, then I'm not really creating anything new. I don't want to just recreate someone else’s Pinterest board. So I have to be careful what I consume. But if I consume certain parts of the internet, the right amount, it can lead to some beautiful inspiration, right? Because all art inspires art. And I still struggle; it's not easy.

As a Gen Z individual, do you think this feeling of technological alignment with tangible reality is uniquely Gen Z? Or do you think this is happening across all generations?

I would say almost every generation today is reliant on technology, simply for communication and daily tasks. We essentially all have been forced to adapt to this way of life, unless you are super privileged or have people around you who can help you or do this for you. Unless you, I don’t know, just have other resources or other means to get around. I find it hard to imagine at this day and age not having some sort of connection to the outside world. Even if you have a cellphone line. Sorry, I feel as though I just went on a tangent. I’m not actually addressing your question.

No, I think it made complete sense. So basically you think this technological alignment with reality is very broad, and that no one is immune to it?

Yes, that is what I was trying to say. I think that we've all been forced to adapt to it now. My grandma just turned 90, and she was texting on her Samsung this morning. I mean, that's a prime example of what's happening.

With all of this in mind, and knowing your single "M.I.A." comes from your experience navigating this digital dependency, can you pinpoint a specific moment that inspired you to write this song?

Yeah, it was actually in 2025. I hadn't toured in like a year and a half. It was right before playing Warped Tour, actually, in DC. I was in the car on the way to play the show, and I was getting all these DMs like, so excited to see you play, so happy to see you play, and it just didn't feel real. Because then, when I showed up, I couldn't match those DMs to people; I couldn't match a face to a name, and that really flipped something for me. Like, oh, people will say something on the internet, even if I don't know them, and maybe not follow through. Thankfully, a lot of people ended up showing up for my set, but I kind of just dissociated around the fact that someone would say, "I’m going to show up to support you," and then not. I'm sure there are reasons why they couldn't. But it just made me feel super connected with these people online, and then in person I was not connected with them at all. I thought I was going to get the opportunity to connect with them, and I didn’t. It's the fact that I didn’t that really created this separation in my mind from people on the internet. I tend to be very parasocial; I'm a fan myself of a lot of idols and artists. I’m like, "But why wouldn't you do anything to—," but I’m like, hold on, you're not Beyoncé. That dissociation realizing that I'm so connected with these people online but I haven't even met them in person really struck a nerve.

I've never heard the flip side of this concept of being parasocial. As a person who does have a following and does have people listening to their music, there is some kind of parasocial relationship, like not being the fan. You, as the creator, feel this relationship. Was that your first experience with that?

I think I experienced a lot of it during the pandemic. We were all so connected online, and not in person. It just felt like a revamp of that, slightly. I'm so grateful, obviously, for anyone who does support me. Even if they don’t or can't make it to a show, I get it; tickets are expensive, and plans fall through. It's just the fact that I personally realized these people I was hoping to meet, I did have a parasocial relationship with, and I was upset that I didn't get to meet them. But that is actually a little bit unhealthy. I have such deep gratitude because I wouldn't do this without them. I feel like I see a lot of the other way, of artists protecting their peace. Maybe one day I'll get there, but for now, I'm just like, you listen to my music, you're my friend. That's the deepest part of me. 

It’s interesting you bring up COVID. This is something that people aren't really talking about: the impact of COVID. You started your music career in the midst of the pandemic; how did that influence your decision to pursue a musical, or creative, career?

Honestly, it was just the time. I was finally given time to create some awesome music, and I wasn't being asked to go to school; I wasn't being asked to do acting— I grew up acting in the city of Toronto— so I was always doing auditions or on set. It was just this time when I could actually hone my craft. Still, every day it's important to hone your craft. I hate how cheesy that sounds, but it really is true. I knew I'd end up doing something creative anyway, so it was like, well, just go full throttle and see what happens.

Yeah, and here we are. So, going back to your single a little bit, I noticed you usually have a rock or electronic-infused sound, but with "M.I.A.", you feature a lot softer, sometimes cleaner vocals. How do you plan on experimenting more in your album or upcoming projects?

Actually, I’m really scared because I'm doing a lot of those soft vocals on my next project. I have entire songs that are only that. Some of them are focus tracks; they're more pop-leaning, and that's a step I've never taken before. In streaming, like, pop success on paper, for people to take you seriously outside of rock or hyperpop or these more niche communities, at least this is what they tell you as a young artist, like the suits, they tell you, "Okay, we need a song for streaming, we need a song for radio, and we need a song for TikTok and social media." And I try to do that in a way where I just made a bunch of music, some soft, some stuff I‘ve never done before, and I was like, "Okay, you guys choose now.” I’ve made two albums' worth of songs, and they were only going to put out an EPs worth, so let's decide. I'm very nervous and excited.

You mentioned "the suits" are telling you you need this or that, but I know you departed from a large record label, and that's a very brave—

It's okay! You can say their name; I’m not under NDA.

It was Atlantic, right?

Yeah. 

It's very scary but also very empowering. How has your creative process changed now that you have all the control?

Well, at first, it was not empowering at all, actually. They dropped me. I was so, so distraught. I thought my career and my life were over. It's been a struggle, honestly, but taking my power back and getting that control back on things like budgets, release timelines, and creative direction has been really rewarding and worth it. I would say the scary part has been the industry, and the way that people would view me. The perception of others is something I still, whether I like to admit it or not, really deeply care about. Even though I come across as so nonchalant and so like, I don't give an F, which is a big part of me, I’m still human. It’s getting over that, that I hope to do with Silver Streak, kind of just do it for myself, and not for the validation of anyone else. And that’s what I'm working on in therapy.

Yeah, imposter syndrome is an unsettling experience. Going into this creative freedom, you have a really distinct and very fun cyberpunk visual vibe going on. Where do you draw your inspirations for your visuals? Even right now, you're in a spaceship on the Zoom; that's awesome.

Yes, I think I just have it automatically set to this because it's my vibe. Honestly, a lot of it is just from what I consume. I selectively choose to consume specific movies, or read certain books, TV shows or anime, or follow certain accounts. I just find myself naturally drawn right now to this sort of ultra-sterile, white and silver clean environment. Because it's so much of what I see the world heading towards. It's just so crazy. Everything just has gotten crazy. I'm trying to almost satirically hyperfixate on how crazy the world has gotten. When it comes to the out-of-touch reality stuff, the Equinox AI ads, or the fact that we're sending satellites up to Mars daily and preparing humankind to go there. It's just so crazy; I wanted to see what my life would be like in a thousand years. But then, I'm probably on my next album going to come back to reality, and it's like, okay, that was the dream, this is the reality, and it's going to be a much darker, depressing album. That's where my mind is at, though.

This is the second time you mention really curating what you consume. Is there a specific movie you saw, or a book you read recently that stuck out to you?

Yeah, actually, The Fifth Element. The visuals, everything, the styling, the fashion. I did see a fashion show recently, as well, by this designer that I love. The brand is called Belacartes and it was really futuristic, but punk, and mixing that modernism with such grunge, disgusting filth fashion was really cool. 

On that fashion note, earlier this year you walked in New York Fashion Week, right? 

Yes, I did! My five-foot-six-ass did not need to be walking that show. I think it went great, actually. It was with Elena Velez, and I did the after-party as well. I really want to do Paris Fashion Week this year; that's my goal. I've been getting kind of into modeling as well, you know. I find myself in Paris so much it might be a natural next step for me, but we'll see. I'm already busy with music. 

I know to some extent you do your own designing, did the runway show inspire you or influence you or make you think of your fashion, creatively, differently?

No. I wish it did. I would say it made me think of how I would approach a show differently, like my own collection. but from a backend sense. That's something that would be so important to me, just because I know how toxic the entertainment industry can be and modeling is no different from that. It's really just the treatment of the models that I was really impressed by. I would take notes on that all day long. 

I wanted to talk to you about your American Idol audition. Was the song just a troll, or was there some truth or underlying anger underneath all the satire of the song?

I think the song is one of the most real things I've said. or written. I truly do feel like we, as people, myself included, need to have fewer opinions towards others. Sometimes, you just gotta keep it to yourself. It’s the oldest trick in the book, and I wish that people told me this more because I yap a lot. But I don’t know; being young, you're always told what you need to do by adults, what school to go to, how to dress, you need to have this profile, you need to be making this much by this age; it's just like, shut the fuck up, okay, actually just shut up. Everyone’s on a different path. It doesn't matter. Going on [American Idol], I had just been dropped from my label. But at the time they cast me, I was signed to my label, so I couldn’t have won the competition when they cast me. So I came in with this whole plan, like, look, I can’t win, so I’m just going to do this as a joke. But it ended up being this super powerful thing. Obviously it is a joke, but it was me reclaiming, to all the suits at the label who told me, like, this was the kind of music I need to make, I need to look like this or do this, just shut the fuck up. And this is gonna go viral, and you're going to try to resign me, and they did, so. 

There you go.

Clock it.

Any parting thoughts you wanted to leave off with?

This is all surreal, and I'm so thankful for all of the love. Thank you to the Riot Games team, but most importantly, thank you to anyone who is a fan of KDA who has welcomed me with open arms. I truly hope you love this record, Fire Starter, and all of the tracks on it. I can't wait to see you at Worlds on November 14th, as well as my headline tour in Asia in Early December.