July 26, 2021 |
You’ll probably recognise her from her platinum blonde hair and mismatched cut – her name is Ava Max and she is slaughtering the charts with her 2000s dance-pop revival.
The Milwaukee native has soundtracked global radio stations and worldwide streaming playlists with her single “Sweet But Psycho”, which topped the charts in over 20 countries and holds over 1.1 billion streams on Spotify alone – all done before releasing her first album.
Her debut full-length project, Heaven & Hell, was the highest-charting female debut album of 2020, and recently Max landed on the UK Top 20 for the fourth time with her viral hit “My Head & My Heart”.
A pop princess firmly in the making, Max’s critically-acclaimed debut is receiving a continuation of sorts, and her new single proves it. “EveryTime I Cry” is a nod to power, inspired by the light at the end of the tunnel and surpassing tough times (especially after the year we’ve had) – hammering home the message that difficult times allow us to grow as individuals.
With the release of the song’s music video, we caught up with the star to hear about her journey into stardom.
1. You had the highest-charting female debut album in the UK last year with Heaven & Hell, how have the last 12 months been for you?
“The last 12 months have been very humbling and gratifying, and I couldn’t ask for a better debut album release!”
2. You also just landed your fourth UK Top 20 with “My Head & My Heart”, what’s it been like having such a good reception over here?
“It’s been an incredible journey watching my music grow in the UK, and I feel so honoured to have fans all over the world.”
3. You’ve worked in the studio with Charli XCX and Sarah Hudson – what have been some of your favourite memories?
“They are really sweet and talented. I am so happy to have made friends with such kind souls as them!”
4. Landing on Forbes 30 Under 30 is a huge achievement! Has this changed your perspective on your own career goals?
“I’m still a weirdo in my eyes! But, I am proud of my accomplishments and still have big goals left to achieve.”
5. You have a very unique personal style, what inspires you?
“My inspiration comes from the early 2000s but with a maximalist take on it.”
6. How has your personal style changed during the course of your career since starting in 2013?
“Well. I had no money back in 2013, so I couldn’t really buy much and was wearing the same long black skirt and cardigan every day! I used to wear the skirt low on my hips, so the 2000s look has stayed with me throughout the years.”
7. Your new single “EveryTime I Cry” was recently released. What was the inspiration behind the song?
“EveryTime I Cry was inspired by the light at the end of the tunnel and the person that we become because of the struggles we go through and the challenges we face.”
8. You have mentioned that this single is a “continuation” of your aforementioned studio album, why have you decided to maintain this same theme?
“I decided to release “EveryTime I Cry” as a continuation of this same idea of opposites that my debut album plays with because, although 2020 was obviously a difficult time for all of us, I also feel like we grew a lot as individuals because of it.”
9. What would you say has been your greatest career achievement so far?
“I would say my greatest achievement in my career so far is “Sweet But Psycho” hitting a billion streams!”
10. What can we expect from your next album?
“Pop is such a huge part of my soul, so expect more dance beats with empowering lyrics.”
Photography courtesy of Ava Max. You can stream “EveryTime I Cry” on all major platforms now.
