"OMG What's Happening" | ||||
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Single by Ava Max | ||||
from the album Heaven & Hell | ||||
Released | September 3, 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:59 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
Ava Max singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"OMG What's Happening" on YouTube |
"OMG What's Happening" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released through Atlantic Records as the seventh single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). It was released September 3, 2020. The disco-funk and disco-pop song was written by Max, Roland Spreckley, Henri Antero Salonen, Sorana Păcurar, Cirkut and Jason Gill, and produced by the latter two writers alongside Hank Solo. A music video was released on October 29, 2020, which was directed by American music video director Hannah Lux Davis. It depicts Max racing against other drivers in muscle cars.
Max first teased the release of "OMG What's Happening" on her social media accounts on August 31, 2020. [1] She posted the song's official cover art on September 2, 2020, and announced that it would be released the next day, [2] [3] stating that it was one of her favorite songs on Heaven & Hell. [4] The cover art depicts Max wearing a red cowboy hat and gloves, while standing on top of a monster truck. [3] "OMG What's Happening" was written by Max, Roland Spreckley, Henri Antero Salonen, Sorana Pacurar, with producers Cirkut and Jason Gill. Hank Solo was also involved in production. [5] The lyric, "There's something about your face / I don't know whether to kiss it or punch it" was initially recorded by Max in quarantine from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic as a joke, but she decided to keep it in the song. [6]
"OMG What's Happening" is a disco-funk [7] and disco-pop song. [8] Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated that it was part of the "disco revival" preceded by music released from Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, and Lady Gaga, [9] while Issei Honke of Billboard Japan additionally specified that "OMG What's Happening" followed 2020 songs such as Doja Cat's "Say So" (2020), and Lipa's "Don't Start Now" (2019). [8] The song contains Dominican bachata guitar syncopations which transition into disco hi-hats, synthesizers and rhythm guitar. It also uses a chord progression from Gloria Gaynor's 1978 song "I Will Survive", which inverses its lyrical message about being "smitten" in place of the original song's message of "independence". [9] "OMG What's Happening" utilizes vibey hooks and a spoken-word bridge, [10] while Max performed high-wire vocal undulations compared to Marina Diamandis. [11]
Mike Wass from Idolator described "OMG What's Happening" as a "loved-up banger" that "finds the pop star head over heels". [12] Writing for Us Weekly , Nicholas Hautman stated that it was "disco realness", [13] while Honke wrote that the song resembled a "disco-like atmosphere" from the late 1970s. [8]
American music video director Hannah Lux Davis announced her involvement in the music video on her social media accounts on September 2, 2020. [14] It was filmed during the same weekend as Max's 2020 song "Naked", which was also directed by Davis. [15] Prior to the video's release, Max mentioned that it involved a large truck and several fast muscle cars in the desert. [16] A lyric video was released on September 3, 2020, which coincided with the song's release. [17] The music video was released on October 29, 2020, which depicts Max as a driver on a truck covered with flames, while racing on an empty highway against another taunting driver. [18] [19]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [5]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Norway (IFPI Norway) [32] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [33] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
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Various | September 3, 2020 | Atlantic | [3] |
Kylie and Garibay is the second extended play (EP) by musical duo Kylie and Garibay. Following Kylie Minogue's departure from her management company, Roc Nation, the three-track EP was released as a surprise on 11 September 2015 by Parlophone and her own production company, Kimberly Limited. Solely produced by Fernando Garibay, the EP served as an extension of the duo's first collaboration, Sleepwalker (2014). Initiated in September 2014, the recording process enlisted Giorgio Moroder, Sam Sparro, and Shaggy as co-writers and feature vocalists.
Amanda Ava Koci, known professionally as Ava Max, is an American singer and songwriter. She signed with Atlantic Records in 2016, through which she released her breakthrough single, "Sweet but Psycho", in August 2018. The song peaked at number one in 22 countries and reached number two and number 10 on the Australian ARIA Charts and US Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
"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 4 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.
"Alone, Pt. II" is a song by British-Norwegian record producer and DJ Alan Walker and American singer Ava Max, released by Sony Music on 27 December 2019. It is a sequel to Walker's single "Alone" (2016). Many remixes of the song were published, among which those by Rave Republic, Toby Romeo, RetroVision, Da Tweekaz, and one by Alex Skrindo, in collaboration with Sebastian Wibe. Much like the original, "Alone, Pt. II" also garnered critical acclaim. The song reached the top 10 in Belgium, The Czech Republic, Norway, Poland, and Romania. A sequel to the song titled "Better Off " was released on 28 September, 2023.
"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 sixth 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.
"Christmas Without You" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on October 15, 2020, through Atlantic Records. It was written by Max, Jesse Aicher, Sam Martin, and producers Gian Stone and Cirkut. A Christmas pop song, it contains a piano, jingle bell and bassline, alongside Max's melisma and whistle register vocals. "Christmas Without You" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised the Christmas sound. The song peaked at number 28 on both the US Adult Contemporary chart and in Germany. A music video was released in 2022, which depicts Max in front of a winter-themed background.
"My Head & My Heart" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on November 19, 2020, through Atlantic Records, as the eighth and 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.
"EveryTime I Cry" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on June 8, 2021, through Atlantic Records. The house and electropop song was written by Max, Caroline Pennell, Lauren Aquilina, and producers Cirkut and Sean Myer. It consists of a piano with synthesizers, and lyrics describing the effect of women's empowerment during difficult situations. "EveryTime I Cry" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised the upbeat production. The song peaked at number seven in Poland and at number 99 in the United Kingdom. An accompanying music video was directed by Max and Charlotte Rutherford and depicts the singer on the desert which transforms into a lush landscape with her tears. It was compared to previous music videos by TLC and Shakira.
"Redrum" is a song by Romanian singer and songwriter Sorana and French disc jockey David Guetta. It was released for digital download and streaming on 20 January 2022 by Atlantic Records. The song was written by Sorana and 15 others, including Jeffrey Bhasker, Mikkel Cox, Guetta, Malik Jones, Mr Hudson, Scott Mescudi, Giorgio Tuinfort, Kanye West and Ernest Wilson, while the production was handled by Toby Green, Guetta and Cox. A dance-pop track about a love triangle and a resulting heartbreak, it interpolates the refrain of West's 2008 song "Heartless".
Sorana Paula Păcurar, known professionally as Sorana Păcurar or Sorana, is a Romanian singer and songwriter. Upon taking part in X Factor Romania, acting in the Romanian soap opera O nouă viață and being part of the Romanian group Lala Band, Sorana released her first single "Povești" ("Stories") in 2015 under Marius Moga's label DeMoga Music. She then left her native country to further pursue a musical career and relocated to London and then Los Angeles. Her portfolio as a songwriter includes the commercially successful songs "Takeaway" (2019) by the Chainsmokers, Illenium and Lennon Stella, "OMG What's Happening" (2020) by Ava Max, and "Heartbreak Anthem" (2021) by Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix. Furthermore, Sorana has also collaborated with artists such as Alan Walker on "Lost Control" (2018). In 2022, she released her debut single under Atlantic Records, "Redrum" with David Guetta.
"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.
"Weapons" is a song by American singer and songwriter Ava Max from her second studio album, Diamonds & Dancefloors (2023). The song was written by Max, Cirkut, Lostboy, Melanie Fontana, Madison Love, Michel Lindgren Schulz and Ryan Tedder, and produced by Schulz. It was released as the third single from the album for digital download and streaming by Atlantic in various countries on November 10, 2022. Combining disco, electro and europop genres, the song tells a tale of cold hearts and harsh words encountered in the pursuit of love within an expansive urban setting. Upon release, it received a positive reception from music critics for its lyrics, music and Max's vocal delivery. Commercially, it charted within the top 100 in Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Sweden and Switzerland. For further promotion, an accompanying visualizer premiered on Max's YouTube channel on March 3, 2023.