Let’s make one thing clear: Ava Max knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to go get it. An empowering force in the industry, Max makes no apologies for living life on her own terms, and in turn, fans have found solace in this notion within her music.
Max has spent the past five years racking up those accolades but the message will always remain true: this girl will always be in charge of her destiny. It’s no secret that her music has instilled confidence around the globe as fans look to her to bring her razor sharp queen-meets-misfit vibes to every track, making her one of the most relatable pop stars of a generation. It also can’t hurt that she tugs on the heartstrings of 90s and early 2000s pop lovers with her stellar interpolations of the millennium’s hottest hits, making them her own and often better than the originals.
After the success of her 2020 smash debut, Heaven & Hell, Max is back with sophomore effort, Diamonds & Dancefloors, via Atlantic Records. Max admits she had never talked about her personal life in her songs before, but this time she went full throttle and it’s definitely paid off.
“Diamonds represent relationships, and Dancefloors represent letting go and being free,” she shared. “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.”
Written and co-produced out of her home studio with longtime collaborator, Cirkut, Diamonds & Dancefloors takes listeners on a journey of self-realization, navigating a tough world and turning heartbreak into something valuable as one comes into their own and discovers their own worth.
From album opener, “Million Dollar Baby,” setting the tone for the rest of the record, to “Sleepwalker” and lead single, “Maybe You’re The Problem,” there’s no doubt that she means business. “Hold Up (Wait a Minute)” continues that notion as Max questions a cheater in the act while “In The Dark” delves into a relationship where you’re only being pursued when the sun goes down. However, the recently teased, “One Of Us,” takes an alternate route as the singer states her regrets for not wanting to hurt a lover who may be already falling.
The ever-pulsating “Weapons” is a social commentary of sorts on kindness and all the little ways people tend to destroy each other so carelessly. While humans may flaunt a tough exterior, this track presents all the ways we’ve built up walls – also shared on the synth-heavy “Cold As Ice” – but at the end of the day, being soft and pure-hearted always wins.
Title track, “Diamonds & Dancefloors,” “Turn Off The Lights” and “Last Night on Earth” are shimmering anthems for leaving all of the pains and struggles of daily life on the dance floor, but not everything is all sparkle and shine as Max’s most vulnerable moment on the record comes into play on “Get Outta My Heart.” Attempting to purge an ex-lover from her heart and her life that keeps showing up everywhere, this might be the one that hits home for listeners.
Speaking of the paranormal, album highlight is without a doubt, “Ghost.” If you were around in the mid-nineties, this one will bring you right back to turning on Top 40 radio in 1996 and hearing Rockell, Amber and even Mariah Carey’s flourishing blend of pop and R&B blaring through the airwaves.
Overall, Diamonds & Dancefloors showcases Max’s uncanny ability to turn pain into power. Whether you’re seeking out dance floors yourself or solo parties at home, it won’t take long for listeners to feel unstoppable with this album, just as she intended it.
“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.”
Mission accomplished!
Diamonds & Dancefloors is available now here.
