"There are so many layers to my personality. One of them is very sexual and 'Maniac' is me sharing that side of myself," Aiko tells Rolling Stone. "When I started putting together the concept for the 'Maniac' visual, I wanted to explore what it meant to be manic." To that end, the singer researched old asylums, watched movies on the topic and learned the "bizarre techniques that were used back in the day to treat mental patients."
"I learned that lots of women were admitted for absurd reasons, including being 'nymphomaniacs' and were basically tortured in the name of treatment," Aiko says. "Ironically, I released 'Maniac' at a time where I had recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, so my interest in the research was genuine. I think we all have some sort of imbalance, but I also believe that we can overcome it. I find my balance through creating art. The 'Maniac' visual is the story of a mental patient who finds her own cure."
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