THROUGH ‘HEAVEN AND HELL’
Ava Max on her engaging brand of electropop
AFTER a stunning commercial breakthrough with the 80s-inspired electropop dance hit, “Sweet but Psycho,” American singer-songwriter Ava Max finally released her much awaited debut album last September 18, the equally intriguingly-titled Heaven and Hell.
Just like with the rest of the populace, 2020 was a rather slowmoving year for the Wisconsin native who’s often compared to Lady Gaga, owing in large part to the ongoing pandemic. Ava, however, is very grateful to suddenly having a lot of time to “focus on herself.”
“This year has been [ an] up and down, heaven and hell [kind of thing]. But it’s great to have the time to get to work on my music some more.”
A 15-song collection of infectious dance pop songs with emphasis on synths and feature elements of soul and yes, even throwback disco, Heaven and Hell is divided into two parts, namely the “Heaven” side and the “Hell” side.
“Heaven is more energetic, upbeat and very anthemic. And Hell is more of a gloomy, sonically darker but there are no sad songs. But they're all very bold and strong,” she shared.
Surprisingly, there’s even a Purgatory side as represented by the song, “Torn.”
While Ava admits that she didn’t initially intend to split the album in half, the idea just came naturally to her.
“When I was writing, I didn’t think that these songs would have to go on one side or the other. Then after I split it, it just happened.”
“Heaven and Hell represents what I and a lot of other people have gone through. People go through heaven and hell in their lives-good days, bad days, the yin and the yang. It’s never great all the time,” she added.
An outspoken advocate for female empowerment, Ava has been known to use her songs to let women know they’re not fighting alone. This is particularly evident in the song “Kings and Queens” with its chess themed music video and lyrics. However, Ava doesn’t just want to empower women so they speak for themselves.
“I want people who listen to my album to come out stronger, and feel that they can achieve anything. My purpose is to uplift and inspire and help people get through tough times,” she said.
In describing the track, “Naked,” set to be her latest single, following “Sweet But Pyscho,” and “OMG What’s Happening,” Ava said the song is about “the real emotions we go through.”
“If you don’t know my mind, soul, and heart, you’ll never know me by seeing me naked. We are more than our physical bodies. That’s what I wanted to show,” Ava said in explaining the meaning behind the song.
Given all the challenges of 2020, it is easy to feel powerless as the world seems to collapse in on itself. Yet even with all the uncertainties, people are increasingly finding solace in music to keep moving forward. As such, Ava’s bold, dance pop style combined with her uplifting, take-no-prisoners lyrical make up what is easily one of the year’s most engaging albums.
Ava Max’s Heaven and Hell is distributed through Warner Music Philippines and is now available in all major digital streaming platforms.