Maiah Manser was a Dream in Chicago
Written by: AJ Bloom
On 9/7/25, Maiah Manser brought her She’s A Dream tour to Schubas Tavern in Chicago, IL. The intimate performance was nothing short of ethereal, like something as the tour name would suggest - out of a dream.
From the second Maiah took the stage, her energy was captivating. In a goddess-like white dress and platform shoes, she commanded her space like it was nothing. The audience was drawn to the stage, moving in closer as the music floated gracefully throughout the venue, like there had been a spell cast on everyone in the room. It was as though each note had been carefully crafted to lure in anyone within earshot, instantly putting them in a trance.
As the show continued, Maiah recorded live vocals to create the backing tracks for her performance. This was my first time seeing something like this done, and it was intriguing to witness. I watched in awe as Maiah effortlessly pressed buttons on a device between singing different notes into the microphone and brought her songs to life in real time.
Once the backing tracks were set, the main vocals to accompany them were absolutely stunning. Seamlessly hitting the most delicate high notes, Maiah’s voice rang out like a siren. This only contributed to the dreamlike state of the experience, allowing for the audience to fully immerse themselves in the present moment. Part of the magic of concerts is being able to forget about the rest of the world for a little while, and Maiah was able to provide this experience for everyone in the room.
Transitioning between songs, Maiah shared a few words on how she wrote the song Pretty Enough for anyone who’s ever felt as though they’re not good enough, not straight enough, or not pretty enough. Hearing the lyrics “Am I pretty enough for your Jesus to save me?” resonated deeply with me as a queer person who has dealt with people who try to use religion to justify their hatred. People want to feel as though they can relate to the art that they are consuming, and this was the perfect example of something that people can form personal connections with.
Ending the show strong, Maiah recorded vocals from the audience to create the backing track for her last song. Adding a touch of humor, she manipulated the recorded track, speeding it up and slowing it way down to make it sound strange before using it in her song. Seeing this bit of silliness shine through was a very humanizing moment, and it made for a deeper moment of connection between Maiah and her audience. Because of this, the last song of the night left the strongest possible impact, making for a perfect finish to a beautiful show.
If you have the chance to catch Maiah on tour, this is her first headline tour in North America, and you won’t want to miss it. The experience was like a dream in real life, and who doesn’t love a good dream come true?
