READIntimate ballads and pop-rock bangers. Maia Toakley and her band are on a roll. The release of her brooding pop track ‘Pessimist Babe’ follows a hugely impactful year of cutting her teeth in the Sydney/Eora live music scene and recently being selected to take part in the APRA AMCOS 23% Mentorship program with Jade Nazareth from One Louder. In 2023, she was one of SydneyMusic.net’s ‘Hardest Gigging Artists’ and she’s well on track again, we’re just over halfway through this year and Maia already has 20 shows under her belt. The singer-songwriter has played on lineups with Missy Higgins, opened for Sons Of The East, Kingswood, Adam Newling & Maple Glider, and most recently went on tour with Sydney’s king of alt-country Andy Golledge.