Ava Max is pushing back against long-running comparisons to Lady Gaga after a leak of her upcoming album’s title track, Don’t Click Play.
A snippet that circulated online this week features lyrics where Max references both Gaga’s Poker Face and her own hit Kings and Queens. In the clip, she sings: “She samples, singing Gaga imitations. Can't kings and queens look good with poker faces? But I'm loving myself even if you hate it.” Rolling Stone confirmed the authenticity of the leaked track.
Max has spoken about such comparisons before. In a 2023 interview with Nylon, she dismissed the remarks as “hilarious,” adding that critics shifted their comments even after she changed her look. “When I dyed my hair black, people compared me to Dua Lipa instead,” she said.
Leaks have been a persistent challenge for the pop star. Both Heaven & Hell and Diamonds & Dancefloors were delayed after unauthorized songs surfaced online. Earlier this year, she urged fans via NME not to circulate unfinished material, stressing, “I have a lot of demos… I’d appreciate it if you stop leaking these records like this one.”
Despite the latest leak, Max’s label confirmed that Don’t Click Play will be released on August 22. The 12-track album, largely produced by Pink Slip and Inverness, follows the singles Lost Your Faith, Lovin Myself, and Wet, Hot American Dream.
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