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It was funny, 'cause I was actually experimenting with different haircuts and colors, pink hair, blue hair, all that kind of stuff. Nothing felt like me. One day I cut my hair, my actual hair, cut it on the right side, and I remember I had something in the oven; I think they were chocolate-chip cookies. And I run downstairs without cutting the other side. I run downstairs, and then I'm like, 'Oh my God, [the cookies] almost burnt.' As I'm going [back] upstairs, I see in the mirror my reflection and the haircut, and...I literally tilted my head, like, why does this feel like me? It felt like me, like I had found myself.
Max has often been compared to Lady Gaga for her music and "ostentatious presentation", [37] which includes her platinum blonde hair, persona, and stage name. [3] [123] [124] Chris DeVille of Stereogum criticized Max's music for being too similar to Gaga, stating that it "falls short in terms of lyrics, production, melody, dynamics, personality, and every other conceivable metric", despite recognizing that the latter was also highly compared to Madonna. [37] Max responded to the comparisons, stating that while Gaga was an "incredible" artist, people should not compare her to other people only for having the same hair color and releasing pop music. Although she described the comparisons as "lazy", she understood that it is "an easy thing to do" after being fascinated with pop artists since her childhood. [125]
Max acknowledged that she often goes against the grain while making public appearances, often seeking designers who are overlooked, and wearing outlandish outfits, as she wants "to give people an experience". [3] She stated that she was influenced by fashion in the 1990s, citing Gwen Stefani and Cindy Crawford as influences. [114] However, Max preferred making music in the studio than appearing in public, stating that she did not like the attention of the fashion and cameras on the red carpet. [9] [116] Her self-cut "Max cut" hairstyle consists of her asymmetric peroxide blonde hair parted down the center, with the right side containing a chin-length bob cut, while the left side was longer and wavy. [22] She explained that she did not feel authentic with her normal haircut, [13] [16] and that it was about embracing herself and being unique. [15] [126] While interviewed by Audacy in 2020, Max described her hair as "symbolic of having the freedom to do your own thing" and a "visual representation of her self expression", stating that it was an escape from conformity. [127]
Max has described herself as "100% Albanian" and stated that she wants to give back to the community. [9] She is able to speak the language, but cannot read it. [15] Max is outspoken about female empowerment, which is reflected in her music. [120] In a 2023 interview with Nylon , Max revealed that she dated Cirkut briefly after they met and have remained friends since then. [24]
Studio albums
Supporting
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"Sweet but Psycho" is the debut single by American singer Ava Max, released on August 17, 2018, through Atlantic Records. It was later included on her debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Madison Love, Tix, Cook Classics, and the producer Cirkut. "Sweet but Psycho" is a pop, dance-pop, electropop, and synth-pop song with lyrics about the perception of a young woman. The song's title was inspired by frequent interactions between Max and her parents. It received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who praised its upbeat sound and catchy chorus, but criticized its formulaic production.
American singer Ava Max has released two studio albums, one extended play, 28 singles, 15 promotional singles and 24 music videos, as well as four visualizer music videos. In 2008, Max released an independent extended play on her Myspace profile titled Amanda Kay. She released "Take Away the Pain" under the stage name Ava in 2013, which was later produced by the Canadian duo Project 46 in 2015.
"So Am I" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on March 7, 2019, through Atlantic Records as the second single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Charlie Puth, Maria Jane Smith, Victor Thell, Gigi Grombacher, Roland Spreckley, and the producer Cirkut. It is an electropop song which discusses the importance of self-love, being an outcast and not fitting into society. A remixed version of the song featuring South Korean boy band NCT 127 was released on July 3, 2019, with additional rap verses performed in English and Korean.
"Torn" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on August 19, 2019, through Atlantic Records as the third single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Madison Love, James Lavigne, Thomas Eriksen, Sam Martin, and the producer Cirkut. It is a dance and pop song with lyrics describing the internal struggle between wanting to stay and leave in a relationship. "Torn" charted in the top 10 in Poland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The song was certified double platinum in Poland and was certified gold in five countries.
Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus, known professionally as Beabadoobee, is a Filipino-British singer-songwriter, and guitarist. From 2018 to 2021, she released five extended plays (EPs) under the independent label Dirty Hit: Lice (2018), Patched Up (2018), Loveworm (2019), Space Cadet (2019) and Our Extended Play (2021). Her debut studio album Fake It Flowers was released in October 2020, and received critical acclaim. Her second studio album, Beatopia, was released on 15 July 2022, which spawned the hit "The Perfect Pair". Her third studio album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, was released on 9 August 2024; it became her first album to peak atop the UK Albums Chart.
"Salt" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on December 12, 2019, through Atlantic Records as the fourth single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was initially released on YouTube and SoundCloud in 2018, before being re-released on streaming services. It was written by Max, Autumn Rowe, Madison Love, Nicole Morier, and the producer Cirkut. The dance-pop song is regarded as a "fan-favorite" by several publications, who praised the upbeat production. "Salt" peaked at number one in Poland, and charted in the top 10 in Austria, CIS, Finland, Germany, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, and Switzerland. The song received a quadruple platinum certification in Poland and Norway, and was certified platinum in four countries.
"Kings & Queens" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on March 12, 2020, through Atlantic Records as the lead single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Ava Max, Brett McLaughlin, Desmond Child, Hillary Bernstein, Jakke Erixson, Madison Love, Mimoza Blinsson, and producers Cirkut and RedOne. It is a power pop song that consists of an electric guitar with synthesizers, incorporating the message of women's empowerment.
"Who's Laughing Now" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on July 30, 2020, through Atlantic Records as the second single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Madison Love, Måns Wredenberg, Noonie Bao, and producers Cirkut and Lotus IV. It is a dance-pop song with lyrics about a girl being gaslighted, and continues from Max's 2018 song "Sweet but Psycho". "Who's Laughing Now" reached number one in Poland, and charted in the top ten in eight countries. An accompanying music video was directed by Isaac Rentz and depicts Max seeking revenge on her boss and cheating boyfriend.
Heaven & Hell is the debut studio album by American singer Ava Max. It was released by Atlantic Records on September 18, 2020. Max recorded the album from December 2018 to March 2020, where she collaborated with composers including Cirkut, RedOne, Charlie Puth, and Bonnie McKee. Musically, Heaven & Hell is a pop, dance-pop, and electropop record split into two sides; the former contains anthemic sounds, while the latter incorporates darker melodies.
"Naked" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released through Atlantic Records on September 18, 2020, as the only promotional single from her debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Bonnie McKee, Eden xo, Parrish Warrington, Diederik van Elsas and Cirkut, while produced by Cirkut and Trackside. It is a pop, dance-pop, electropop, and synth-pop song containing synthesizers and bass guitar. The lyrics depict the perception of Max's internalized emotions being emphasized past her physical appearance.
"My Head & My Heart" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on November 19, 2020, through Atlantic Records as the final single from Max's debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was included on the digital re-release version of the album. The dance and pop anthem was written by Max, Madison Love, Aleksey Potekhin, Sergey Zhukov, Tia Scola, Earwulf, and Cirkut, with production handled by the latter two producers and Jonas Blue.
"The Motto" is a song by Dutch DJ and producer Tiësto and American singer and songwriter Ava Max from the former's seventh studio album, Drive (2023). The song was written by the artists, Claudia Valentina, Pablo Bowman, Sarah Blanchard, and Lostboy, who produced it with the DJ. It was released as the third single from the album for digital download and streaming in various countries by Atlantic and Musical Freedom on 4 November 2021. "The Motto" is a fusion of dance, EDM, and pop, showcasing empowering lyrics that emphasize "doing you, having a good time and letting the world know". Upon its release, the release of the song was well received by music critics, who praised the music and production of the song, the collaborative effort between the artists, and the vocal delivery of Max. At the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards, the song received a nomination in the category for the Best Collaboration.
"Maybe You're the Problem" is a song by American singer and songwriter Ava Max from her second studio album, Diamonds & Dancefloors (2023). The song was written by Max, Abraham Dertner, Cirkut, Jonas Jeberg, Marcus Lomax and Sean Douglas, and produced by Cirkut, Dertner and Jeberg. It was released as the lead single from the album for digital download and streaming by Atlantic in various countries on April 28, 2022. Blending dance, dance-pop, dance-rock, pop and synth-pop music, the song depicts Max's ex as a toxic individual unwilling to accept any form of commitment placing blame on others while absolving himself. Upon release, it garnered a positive reception from music critics for its music, lyrics and Max's vocal rendition, with various critics highlighting it as a standout on the album.
Diamonds & Dancefloors is the second studio album by American singer Ava Max. It was released on January 27, 2023, through Atlantic Records. Recorded throughout 2021, the album is a dance-pop record much like Max's debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The album was promoted by the release of six singles: "Maybe You're the Problem", "Million Dollar Baby", "Weapons", "Dancing's Done", "One of Us", and "Ghost". The album debuted in the top ten in various countries, including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Spain and Switzerland. In the United States, the album debuted at number thirty-four on the Billboard 200.