mxmtoon - unspoken words (official video)

this music videos means a lot to me, as i was really able to dive into my experience growing up as chinese-american! it’s rare and wonderful when you’re able to share pieces of your world, and working on this video was both challenging in trying to express a personal story in a fun way but to keep it meaningful as well. videos have been my favorite way of expressing my songs visually so far, and this one is no exception.

follow mxmtoon:

credits:
directed & edited by jane chow
story by jane chow and peter rafe
production company: time code pictures
producers: ian tan, christabelle tan, jane chow


director of photography: danyal niazi
1st assistant camera: benjamin elias
gaffer: ace buckley
key grip: alex kary
best boy grip: james dayton


production designer: patricia cruz jamandre
lead carpenter: kevin mathein
carpenters: asa lory, connor smith
art assistant: camille rao
hair and makeup artist: tetiana glushchenko


associate producer: peter rafe
unit production manager: basil apostolo
1st assistant director: maddy oliver
production assistants: ryan crouch, liam lischak
set photographer: tiffany lo
set videographer: ryan nakajima


vfx artists: tancredi di paola, martin taube, sam waldow
illustrator: krishna kanaiya
color & sound design by jane chow

lyrics:
it wasn’t always easy
growing up we had our fights
though we wouldn’t say it
we wanted to play nice

i can safely say we’re friends
and that i love you too
but years ago that wouldn’t happen
because i didn’t get you

oh, it’s complicated
and i need to say it
cause time is fading away

i should’ve said it sooner
who knows what in the future
but now i need you to know

that i love you
you know it’s true
you don’t need to say it back to me
because i know you do

and i get it now
you weren’t allowed
the same life
that you’ve so gracefully endowed

i’m happy with it all now
we both had to grow and learn
to understand each other
and with patience we took turns

i’m sorry for my anger
i was just too young to know
that cause of your exterior
and just what you wouldn’t show

oh, it’s complicated
and i need to say it
cause time is fading away

i should’ve said it sooner
who knows what in the future
but now i need you to know

that i love you
you know it’s true
you don’t need to say it back to me
because i know you do

and i get it now
you weren’t allowed
the same life
that you’ve so gracefully endowed

oh, i love you
you love me too
unspoken words are preferred
but it’s the truth

i’ll shift the tide
leave windows wide
we are the start, our change of heart
will be our guide

oh, i love you
you know it’s true
you don’t need to say it back to me
because i know you do

i do
i know you do

[chickenmaniaaa]

Oh she’s using her music to talk to her grandma. It’s a really beautiful video and song, not to mention Maia’s smile made my day just a bit better.

[justabby]

When i saw “you’re so busy these days. No time to call?” I start crying because I remember my grandma texting that to me but i didn’t notice it because i was so busy and later that night she died. Damn this hurt.

[TheDawnBlush]

I'M GONNA CRY I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS ABOUT TELLING SOMEONE YOU LOVE THEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

[porcelaintaylor]

what i've learned from this video: call grandma more





edit: dear person reading this, please go tell someone you love them before its too late :)

[athenaidk]

The face in the thumbnail is me whenever someone says they don't like mxmtoon.

[elila]

On an unrelated note, I'm going to call my grandma

[avalorelei]

HRJf THIS IS ABOUT YOUR GRANDMA EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO AND CRY

[cryptid]

when you don’t skip the ads because you want ya girl to get that $$$

[ryanrossluvr]

hi this video made me bawl. my grandma died this june. she practically raised me and i loved her so much. i would give the world to say “i love you” one last time. tell your grandmas you love them people.

[materiolgworl]

“You weren’t allowed the same life you’ve so gracefully endowed”
That line hit hard. My mom grew up in a poor family and she barely have any food but she studied hard and got good grades but she didn’t get a job because she needed to take care of me and my brothers. She always reminds me to get good grades to get a good job but I never took it seriously. I didn’t realize how much of a jerk I was to ignore her. To everyone who’s reading this, pls don’t take your family for granted. You only have one.

[porcelaintaylor]

EVERYONE GO CALL YOUR GRANDMA'S OR GRANDPA'S OR RELATIVES OF ANY KIND AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM

[horrorfanatic]

*red room not getting picked multiple times*
Red room: “Am I a joke to you?”

[minorchord]

It looks like hispanic grandmas are not that different from Chinese ones!

[josuemolina]

Lyrics:

It wasn't always easy
Growing up we had our fights
Though we wouldn't say it
We wanted to play nice
I can safely say we're friends
And that I love you too
But years ago that wouldn't happen
Because I didn't get you

Oh, it's complicated
And I need to say it
'Cause time is fading away
I should've said it sooner
Who knows what's in the future
But now I need you to know

That I love you
You know it's true
You don't need to say it back to me
Because I know you do
And I get it now
You weren't allowed
The same life
That you've so gracefully endowed

I'm happy with it all now
We both had to grow and learn
To understand each other
And with patience we took turns
I'm sorry for my anger
I was just too young to know
That cause of your exterior
And just what you wouldn't show

Oh, it's complicated
And I need to say it
'Cause time is fading away
I should've said it sooner
Who knows what's in the future
But now I need you to know

That I love you
You know it's true
You don't need to say it back to me
Because I know you do
And I get it now
You weren't allowed
The same life
That you've so gracefully endowed

Oh, I love you
You love me too
Unspoken words are preferred
But it's the truth
I'll shift the tide
Leave windows wide
We are the start, our change of heart
Will be our guide

Oh, I love you
You know it's true
You don't need to say it back to me
Because I know you do

I do
I know you do

[다현-rq]

This is sad because my grandma doesn't really like to spend time with me.

[03-02-20] Edit: Now she's gone, her interment is tomorrow.

[sakuraholts]

I’m honestly envious of people who have good relationships with their grandparents

[evlynnnnnn]

Shes such girlfriend material I cant ♡ I'm gonna sleep to her songs for the rest of the night. I'm so lucky that I got to go to her concert in Norwich. That's Maia!

[goldfinch]

this made me cry, this song has been my favorite on her album since it came out and it’s always so emotional, knowing it’s about her grandma makes so much more sense and makes it so much more emotional (I thought it was about like a sibling or something lmao)

[saffo]

It made me cry, I lost my grandmother recently and this perfectly reflects the situation I feel, I wish I could tell her again that I love her

[highteenluv]

IM CRYING THIS IS THE BEST MV OF THE WORLD YES.