"Diary Entries", track-by-track by Maya Ixta
Photo credit: Devin Dygert
1.First Entry was a really fun song to create. It’s my way of introducing Diary Entries to the world. I actually wrote it in about 30 minutes and made a quick demo in my bedroom to share with one of my producers. The recording process was different from my other songs— I recorded the entire track in one day, without going back to change or re-record vocals. The production is intentionally minimal because I want the focus to be on the lyrics and vocals. It was one of those songs where the lyrics flowed naturally; I knew exactly what I wanted to say. My goal is for listeners to understand the context of the entire EP through First Entry.
2. Time is the first bilingual song of the EP. I wrote it with my mentor and producer, Daniel Jimenez-Afanador. The idea behind this song came about during a really stressful time in my life where I questioned my goals for the future. There’s so much pressure to grow up fast, especially with social media. This song was very therapeutic to write because it was a way to vent about how I was feeling at the time. Some of the lines were also coming to me in Spanish, so it was really important to work with a producer like Daniel because he speaks Spanish and understood what I was trying to convey.
3. Little Things explores similar themes to Time. Often, people let small, insignificant things negatively affect their entire day, so I wanted to flip that negativity into something positive. I began noticing that small moments make life beautiful, and those are the ‘little things’ I choose to focus on. This song is about appreciating those simple, everyday moments that truly matter.
4. Too Soon is a song dedicated to my grandpa, who holds a special place in my heart. I believe my love for music came from him—he was always playing music, singing, and encouraging me to follow my passions. I wrote this song while coping with his passing, and I hope it resonates with others who are going through a similar loss, offering them comfort and understanding.
5. Someone Is You is dedicated to one of my best friends. I also collaborated with Daniel on this song as well. Through this song, I wanted to capture just how impactful true friendships can be. It’s comforting to know there’s someone who won’t judge you and with whom you can connect on anything. The song actually stemmed from something I wrote in my diary for my friend’s birthday, and I decided to turn it into a track on this EP.
6. Say You’re Mine was the first fully completed song on this project. I wrote it to empower people to stand up for themselves if they’re being mistreated in a relationship. A friend of mine had been venting to me about issues she was having with a guy, and I was inspired to write this song as if I were “in her shoes.”
I'm so excited for everyone to hear this EP. It was truly a labor of love.