- Hey, this is Billboard,
and you should know me, Ava Max.
I grew up in Virginia
and it was really awesome
I had a normal childhood up until 14
when I moved to California for my dreams.
My guilty pleasure is definitely chocolate cake
because I can't have it all the time
cause sugar just doesn't agree with my body
and that is my guilty pleasure.
The first concert I ever went to was a Beyonce concert
and it changed my life.
(laughs)
If someone were to play me in a movie
I would definitely have to say Jennifer Lawrence
because she is such a strong character just in general
and in real life,
and she's really funny and goofy and I feel like,
I think she would nail it.
I mean, I like her a lot.
(laughs)
Being on the Billboard charts was insane for me,
I was just sitting in my living room
and I go online and it says I'm,
first when I was bubbling under the Billboard charts
that already got me all crazy,
and now being on the Billboard charts,
it's like such a surreal experience.
And I still can't believe it, to this day.
(laughs)
The first time I was starstruck
I think when I met Pharrell when I was
like eleven at an airport.
And obviously he's Pharrell so I tried not to faint.
(laughs)
He was incredible too, like very sweet in person.
That was awesome.
If I could collaborate with any artist
it would have to be Cardi B.
I love her.
My musical inspirations.
Mariah Carey, the Fugees, Gwen Stefani,
Fergie, Whitney Houston,
I love all the big vocalists of the nineties and eighties.
They really inspired me and created my sound growing up.
The best advice I've ever received
I think I'd have to say, as cliche as it sounds,
don't give up if you really can't stop thinking
about something that you want to do in your life,
like don't give up.
You're gonna get there, it's just,
your time is meant to be
and when it's your time, it's your time.
That really stuck with me.
I started making music when I was about ten.
The first place I performed music was actually
at a place called The NorVa in Virginia where I grew up.
So my music making process is usually different every time.
I could probably have an idea one day
and then go into the studio and really wanna write about
just that idea that I have in mind.
Or it can vary with just a simple beat
and I just do a bunch of melodies on the track
that inspire me.
The inspiration behind Sweet but Psycho,
it is a complicated relationship.
This girl's so misunderstood in this relationship,
she feels like she's sweet one moment
and then she feels like she's going out of her mind
because of this guy,
and in reality she's a strong and independent female,
and I'm sure all of us ladies can relate to that.
Yeah.
♪ Oh, she's sweet but a psycho ♪
♪ A little bit psycho ♪