When the lights go down, inhibitions go away. The dancefloor unlocks unrestricted freedom to move, sing, shout, smile, and simply express any emotion. Ava Max exudes and encourages the same empowering freedom through her music. The first-generation Albanian-American Los Angeles-based multiplatinum chart-breaking pop singer, songwriter, and producer steers her vision with unwavering confidence, taking control of every element and following her instincts without compromise. She knows what she wants, and she brings it to life on her own terms. As such, she has quietly emerged as a pop powerhouse with billions of streams, a procession of multiplatinum certifications, countless sold out shows, and Billboard Hot 100 success.
In charge of her destiny, she shines brighter than ever before on her second full-length offering, Diamonds & Dancefloors [Atlantic Records].
“Diamonds represent relationships, and Dancefloors represent letting go and being free,” she notes. “I wanted to make dance music, but it couldn’t be super happy. It’s vulnerable instead. I’ve never talked about my personal life in the songs, but I do now. The album is basically heartbreak on the dancefloor.”
With unapologetic attitude, razor sharp songwriting, and eye-catching fashion as jaw-dropping as her voice, Ava has always carved her own path. During 2018, she vaulted to the forefront of pop culture with “Sweet But Psycho.” The quadruple-platinum smash held a spot in the Top 10 on the Hot 100 for three weeks, clinched #1 in over 20 countries, and reached diamond status in Brazil, France, and Poland in addition to going multiplatinum in 15 other territories. Her 2020 platinum-certified full-length debut, Heaven & Hell, boasted the double-platinum “Kings & Queens,” platinum-certified “So Am I,” and gold-certified “Salt.” In addition to blockbuster collaborations with the likes of David Guetta, Alan Walker, Pablo Alborán, and Jason Derulo, she linked up with AJ Mitchell on the gold-certified “Slow Dance,” Thomas Rhett and Kane Brown on the gold-certified “On Me,” and Tiësto for “The Motto.” The latter not only crashed the Top 5 of the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs Chart, but it also picked up a platinum certification. Forbes touted her among its coveted “30 Under 30” for 2021, while she has incited the applause of VOGUE, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Billboard, PAPER, and more. Not to mention, she earned “Best Push Artist” at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Beyond captivating capacity crowds everywhere, she has ignited CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden, NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Good Morning America, to name a few.
Over the course of 2022, she assembled what would become her sophomore LP. Out of her home studio, she co-wrote all 14 tracks and served as Co-Executive Producer alongside longtime collaborator Cirkut.
Throughout the process, she reflected on two recent breakups without filter, but she really longed for one of her favorite places…
“During the Pandemic, I missed having fun, moving, and meeting people on the dancefloor,” she admits. “I’ve been going to clubs since I was like 16 in Virginia and South Carolina. It wasn’t about drinking; I’d just get a fake ID and dance all night.”
Leaning into this energy, she teased the album with “Maybe You’re The Problem,” reeling in hundreds of millions of streams. On its heels, “Million Dollar Baby” arrived to widespread critical acclaim. Its high-powered synths pulsate beneath a chantable chorus uplifted by her hypnotic high register run. Right out of the gate, The New York Times hailed it as “a sleek, calisthenic pop song” and added, “Ava Max is partying like it’s 2000 and 2004 on the thumping ‘Million Dollar Baby’.”
“It’s about saving yourself from all of the trauma you went through,” she reveals. “Everyone wants to lean on someone, but it’s important to stand on your own two feet.”
“Turn Off The Lights” swings from cinematic horns into a head-nodding beat punctuated by claps, a slick bass line, and a glitchy refrain.
“It’s about coming alive as your best self in the club,” she observes. “Just run wild!”
Disco keys glow on “Ghost” where she balances R&B panache with shimmering house music euphoria. It all culminates on the refrain, “Everywhere I go I’m haunted by your ghost.”
“I grew up listening to Mariah Carey and R&B,” she says. “I pursued those elements for ‘Ghost’. Everywhere you go you see your ex like a ghost. I was questioning everything, and he was appearing in my mind all the time. It’s a universal feeling after a breakup.”
Elsewhere, “Weapons” conjures what she refers to as “Classic Ava Max.” On the other end of the spectrum, “Last Night On Earth” paints a vivid picture of a torrid romance against an apocalyptic backdrop in broad strokes of lush pop. “Let’s do what we want like it’s our last night on earth—whether it’s bungee jumping or being together underneath the stars,” she states. “You’re not letting any obstacles stand in your way. It’s so romantic to me.”
The album closer “Dancing’s Done” climaxes on one of her most dynamic vocal performances to date with a confession, “I want to give into your dark temptation.” Simultaneously, its widescreen-ready production gleefully evokes the turn-of-the-millennium pop she grew up on.
“I’ve never done a sexy song with lyrics like this,” she states. “It was super fun.”
In the end, Ava rules the dancefloor and beyond.
“I’m figuring out who I am,” she leaves off. “I stripped down everything I thought I was, and I’m redefining myself. I found out I’m stronger on my own. I’ve realized it’s okay to go with the flow and live in the moment. When you listen to the album, I hope you can let go, move forward, and feel empowered—like a boss bitch.”