New York-based alt-pop artist Maxx Nies continues to make her mark on the modern pop landscape with her emotionally charged new single, ‘Give Me A Reason’. At just 25, Nies has honed a songwriting voice defined by vulnerability, resilience, and candid storytelling, transforming personal experiences into music that resonates deeply with listeners. Inspired to write her first song at seven after the loss of her great-grandmother, Nies has long recognised music as a powerful outlet for processing complex emotions.
‘Give Me A Reason’ exemplifies this approach. Written in just ten minutes during a period of intense self-reflection, the track blends intimate, atmospheric production with expansive, emotive alt-pop melodies.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Maxx to learn all about her story so far, what makes her tick and much more, in this exclusive deep dive with LOCK.
—
Hey Maxx, welcome to LOCK! How are you doing?
Hi LOCK! I’m really happy, grateful, and excited to be doing this interview! Thank you so much for this opportunity!
Sum up your latest single ‘Give Me A Reason’ in three words for our readers?
desperate, vulnerable, and heavy
How has your relationship with songwriting evolved as both an artist and a person over the years?
Songwriting started as a coping mechanism for me when I was really young. It was the only place I felt like I could really express myself without judgment, feel safe and release what I had been holding onto internally . As I’ve grown, my relationship with it has evolved from just trying to process emotions to actually understanding them. As well as taking my power back by turning a negative experience or emotion into something positive with my music. Now it feels less like escaping my experiences and more like transforming them into something meaningful. As a person, I’ve learned to be more honest and accepting with myself, and as an artist that honesty and authenticity has become the foundation of my music.
‘Give Me A Reason’ was written in just ten minutes. Can you take us back to that moment and describe what the writing process felt like emotionally and creatively?
The process of writing Give Me a Reason is actually kind of a funny story. I was in the middle of one of the hardest points in my withdrawal period coming off a medication I had been prescribed when I was nine years old, which eventually turned into a dependency by the time I was a teenager. At the time I was having really intense panic attacks almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day.
I was standing on a vibration plate hoping it might help regulate the nervous system, and I was listening to a song by Bon Iver. Suddenly I heard a melody in my head with the words ‘give me a reason,’ which perfectly captured how I was feeling at that moment. I quickly recorded a voice memo — which honestly sounds pretty chaotic because of the vibration plate — and then ran to my room and finished writing the rest of the song within minutes. The next day I brought it into the studio and recorded it.
Do you find that your most honest songs tend to come in those instinctive bursts?
1000% yes! My most honest songs usually come in those instinctive bursts. It almost feels like a spiritual experience sometimes. When it happens, it’s like something just flows through me. There have been moments where I finish a song and barely even remember writing it days later, like I blacked out for a second and something else took over.
The track balances intimacy with a more expansive, atmospheric sound. How did you approach shaping the sonic world around such a raw emotional core?
Because the song was written in such a raw and vulnerable moment, it was really important to me that the production didn’t take away from that feeling. I wanted the sonic world around it to feel like it flowed and was expressive, but still intimate enough that the emotion in the lyrics stayed at the center. The goal was to create something that almost feels like you’re inside my mind and body, going through this with me but still leaving space for the vulnerability of the song to come through.
Your music often touches on themes of mental health, self-worth, and trauma. How important is it for you to maintain that level of emotional honesty in your songwriting?
It’s extremely important to me. Emotional honesty is really the foundation of why I write music in the first place. A lot of the themes in my songs come from real experiences with mental health, trauma, and healing. For me, songwriting has always been a way to process those things and turn them into something meaningful. I also think there’s a lot of power in being honest about struggles that people often feel like they have to hide, because when listeners hear something they relate to, it can make them feel a little less alone.
What kind of connection do you hope people take away when they hear your songs?
I hope people feel seen and understood when they hear my songs. So much of my music comes from moments of vulnerability and struggle, and I want listeners to know that those feelings are not only valid but they don’t make you weird or wrong. If someone hears a song and it gives them a sense of comfort, validation, or even just the feeling that they’re not alone in what they’re experiencing, then I feel like I’m doing what I’m meant to do with my art.
How do you balance vulnerability with protecting parts of your own story?
I’m definitely still figuring this out and working on it, It can be a delicate balance. I want my music to be honest and vulnerable because that’s what connects with people, but I also have to protect certain parts of my personal story for my own wellbeing. I try to focus on the emotions and experiences themselves rather than every specific detail — that way I can be truthful and raw without oversharing in a way that feels unsafe. It’s about being open enough for listeners to relate, but still keeping parts of the story mine.
You’re currently preparing to record a new album. How does the upcoming record expand on the themes or sounds we’re hearing in ‘Give Me A Reason’?
The upcoming music continues to be honest, vulnerable, and authentic, exploring a variety of experiences and topics in life. I’m also experimenting with new sounds and styles — some songs will feel like a sibling or cousin to Give Me a Reason, while others are lighter and more pop-driven. Overall, it’s still deeply personal, but there’s more range and sonic exploration.
With your audience in New York City continuing to grow, how has being based there influenced your creativity or artistic direction?
Being based in New York City has really shaped my creativity and artistic perspective. The energy here is intense, inspiring, and sometimes overwhelming, which pushes me to channel both the highs and lows into my music. People here are brutally honest and straightforward — which I love — and I think that encourages me to be just as honest in my songwriting. The city’s diversity and constant movement keep me inspired and constantly flowing with ideas.
And finally, when listeners hear ‘Give Me A Reason’ for the first time, what do you hope they feel in that moment?
When someone hears Give Me a Reason for the first time, I hope they feel seen and understood. I want them to connect with the vulnerability in the song, to feel the emotions I was experiencing when I wrote it, and maybe even recognize a part of their own story in it. And if they do, know that it’s ok to feel these things and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and if I made it out so can you. If anything, I hope it gives them a sense of comfort — that even in moments of confusion or struggle, they’re not alone.