Scotiabank Arena in Toronto gave Kasey Musgraves a homecoming mum: Meet the small business owner who created it
When Kasey Musgraves arrived in Toronto on her Middle of Nowhere tour, Scotiabank Arena welcomed the eight-time Grammy Award-winner to Canada with a proper homecoming mum. As a native Texan, Musgraves knew exactly what to say about it.
Along with her Reel, her Instagram post said:
“Definitely would have gotten in trouble in the hallways with this beast. Thank you, @scotiabankarena, for giving me this fun piece of Texas homecoming culture. 🏈 IYKYK”
Photo sources: instagram.com/scotiabankarena, instagram.com/mumsbymadabella and instagram.com/spaceykacey
In response, Texans joined together in a collective social media swoon.
Meanwhile, mum makers had one question on their minds: WHO MADE KASEY’S MUM?
And I wanted to know: HOW DID THIS COLLABORATION HAPPEN?
Meet Marisa Tawil
Although I couldn’t reach anyone at Scotiabank Arena for comment, the venue publicly praised their mum-making collaborator, Mums by Madabella aka MadabellaCouture. Even though right now is the height of a crazy busy homecoming mum season, owner Marisa Tawil generously took time to talk with me about her experience.
Marisa is located in San Antonio, Texas. While she would rather let her work speak for her than talk about herself, she began by sharing how she (like many others) got into the mum business.
“I’m not originally from Texas,” Marisa said, “so I’d never even heard of a mum when my daughter came home freshman year asking for one. I watched YouTube tutorial after YouTube tutorial to try and master making some of the braids. I spent way too much time fretting over whether or not I was doing it right. I ended up having a great time making it and received several compliments on my creation.”
It wasn’t long before Marisa’s friends started asking her to make mums for their kids.
“Once I started to have friends order from me,” Marisa said, “I thought about expanding and adding to my existing Etsy shop. I sold far more than I expected in year one, and it grew from there. I’ve been their top seller for three years running.”
Marisa’s reviews on Etsy are, indeed, glowing.
Fast-forward to July 2026. Via the contact form on her Etsy site, Marisa received an email from a representative of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). MLSE owns several professional sports franchises including the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) and Toronto Raptors (NBA). Scotiabank Arena is the home of both teams.
At first Marisa was skeptical, but she did her homework and realized the inquiry was legit.
“The woman explained that Kacey Musgraves was performing at Scotiabank Arena on August 24, and they wanted to give her something really unique and special,” Marisa said. “She told me they had done some research and found out about the mum tradition being huge in Texas. She asked if I would be interested in collaborating with them on this project.”
Marisa enjoyed every minute of her collaboration.
“They knew they wanted a large mum in the theme of Kacey’s album and tour, Middle of Nowhere, with several nods to Toronto-related landmarks, teams, etc.,” Marisa said. “They gave me carte-blanche to take their wants and run with it. So I did! I developed a vision of how I felt it should look, and I spent quite a long time planning and ordering the necessary materials. I would send my contact in Toronto photos as I progressed. When the feedback was beyond positive, I knew I was on the right track. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I was so lucky to be a part of it.”
To Marisa, homecoming mums are more than a booming seasonal business. They represent a tradition that carries deep meaning and a unique sense of connection.
“Once I began to understand the tradition and significance of the mum,” Marisa said, “I loved being a part of something so unique. Growing up in the midwest, I had never experienced anything like it. By making the mums myself, I feel a part of something I would’ve loved as a teenager.”
