Maria Maita-Keppeler, known by her stage name MAITA, has quickly risen to Portland indie-rock fame in the past few months. After inspiring Kill Rocks Stars’ founder Slim Moon to return to the label (dubbing MAITA the record label’s “guiding light”), MAITA’s ready to drop a fresh album, Best Wishes, on April 3. The forthcoming project boasts the single “Can’t Blame a Kid,” a powerful ode to a childhood friend that weaves Maita-Keppeler’s cool, vulnerable vocals with power chords and pop hooks. (A personal favorite lyric: “My old friend/ she used to be a dick.”) At the Doug Fir, MAITA will be joined by fellow Portland indie darlings Sama Dams (no, not the former-mayor-turned-council-candidate) and Wave Action to formally release this new single. by Alex Zielinski