By Grace Gorsline
Staff Writer
2026 has been actress and singer Maya Hawke’s year. Known for her role as Robin in “Stranger Things,” the quirky, smart Scoops Ice Cream worker and close friend of Will Byers and Steve Harrington, Hawke has been busy personally, professionally and musically.
This past February she married Christian Lee Hutson, a singer and musician. This pairing had collaborated multiple times previously on their music and were married in Manhattan at the St. George’s Episcopal Church.
Most recently, she has released a new album called “Maitreya Corso,” which is her fourth album and consists of 13 songs. This album explores ideas of ambition, self-doubt and most importantly, self-discovery. In contrast to her previous album, “Chaos Angel,” this one is more vulnerable and honest.
Taking on a folk-pop and indie style genre, each song exhibits her soft, melodic voice. She incorporates great use of acoustic guitar, piano and drums throughout the songs as well.
The opening song, “Love of My Life” is slightly more up beat with consistent drums and electric guitar in the background. This song is rhythmic and smooth. It is about the idea of wanting and how she wondered how she would feel if she got everything she wanted. Even when one gets everything they wanted, it can still feel like something is missing.
Another stand out song in “Maitreya Corso” was “Devil You Know.” The vibes are more angsty and emotional than “Love of My Life.” It encompasses feelings of anxiety, confusion and self-doubt as she considers all the various obstacles she could face in her life. However, the song says that all of these doubts “are not a good reason to stop,” and sometimes “it takes failure, it takes patience to deal with the devil you know.”
Through these complex lyrics she spreads a message about overcoming self-doubt, how to succeed and that sometimes failure must come first.
The last song of her album, “Dreamhouse,” is very positive and warm. It is a reflection of her life and how she has found a place and people who make her feel safe, comfortable and free to be authentically herself.
According to a Rolling Stones interview with Hawke, she says, “‘Dreamhouse’ is really about joy. And getting what you want and building a place where you feel yourself.”
“Dreamhouse” was a very fitting way to conclude the album as it felt like an embrace of self-love. It succeeded in making the album feel like a journey in which the last song indicated a satisfying ending, while also igniting hope in a brighter future for listeners as well as for Hawke.
