Ava Max Scores: The Pop Star on the World Cup, Her Favorite ABBA Song, and More

A
va Max likes to keep her fans fed. “They never go without me for a year,” the 32-year-old pop singer says. She’s right: Since releasing her third album, Don’t Click Play, last year, Max has dropped two singles — the Freddie Mercury-inspired “Kill It Queen” and “Out of Your Mind” — plus “Fate,” with Alan Walker, and “Energy,” a thrilling pop smash included on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album. “I’m always going to put out music, because I’m crazy,” she says. “I don’t want to hold onto it.” 

As she says this, Max is attending the opening night of FIFA House in New York, celebrating World Cup Finals Week in collaboration with Rolling Stone, the Grammys, and Def Jam Recordings. (Besides Max,
FIFA House brings together FIFA legends, creators, industry leaders and other guests — as well as the World Cup trophy, which visitors get to glimpse.) Max spoke to Rolling Stone about who she’s rooting for, a recent scare involving an elevator, and a productive year that’s just getting started.

You just performed an awesome, stripped-down version of “Energy,” your song that was included on the World Cup album. Tell me about making that one. 
I made that with a few of my friends, who I’ve worked with on a couple albums. “Energy” really came from a place of being in this industry for a while. I’ve tried making it in this industry since I was 14 years old. I went to L.A. with my mom, my dad, and my brother. So the lyrics were easy to write, because I’m in a place where I really don’t care what anyone thinks about me. The internet is really fun if you read the comments [laughs].

It doesn’t bother me, though. That’s the thing. I don’t know if it’s because I have Albanian blood and I grew up with my parents, always getting at me about every little thing, just to say what’s on their mind. So the comments don’t bother me. “Energy” came from a place of not caring.

Your family is here with you tonight, right?
Yes. My dad likes to travel with me sometimes.

I love it. You worked with Bia on “Energy.” What was that collaboration like? 
Bia’s great. I really wanted her on the song, so I reached out personally. I just didn’t see anyone else on it. Everybody was recommending different people, and I’m just like, “First of all, I want a female on it.” That was number one. And then Bia, I’ve always been a fan, and that’s it. I’m just so grateful she said yes. She was, like, a one-take wonder. The second verse, she killed it in one take. It’s incredible.

Since we’re here at FIFA House, who have you been supporting during this World Cup?
[Laughs.] I feel like there’s going to be backlash from this, but I’m going to be honest. [Lionel] Messi over [Cristiano] Ronaldo. I’m sorry. He’s kind of a magician.

Hot take. You’ve had a couple of other songs come out this year, including “Kill It Queen” and “Out of Your Mind.” Why don’t you tell me about this new era that you’re building toward? Is there a new album coming out? 
I’m working on a Christmas album right now, actually. I just wanted to put out [new music] in general, because I never leave my fans hanging. They never go without me for a year. I’m always going to put out music, because I’m crazy. I don’t want to hold on to it.

You have the best fans, too.
Thank you. I don’t feel good not putting out music. So I’m always going to be putting out music, whether it’s features or my new era. It started with “Kill It Queen.” It kind of has a Queen/ABBA-inspired sound. I haven’t done that before. I’ve never sang opera before. My mom sang opera growing up. So I was like, “You know what? Let’s try it.” She even sang on the track, so that was great. She had a lot of fun in the studio. We’re trying to go a little bit more out there, avant-garde. But, yeah, making an album, who knows? Christmas album for sure. 

What are your favorite ABBA and Queen songs? 
[Sings “Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong!”] “Chiquitita,” ABBA. 

That’s exactly how I sound when I sing it. 
I’m so sorry, I can’t pick one. It’s not just one. Yeah, there’s a lot of them. And then Queen, it’s hard. That’s another one, like ABBA, where you put on every song. But “Love of My Life.” Oh, when you sang it at Wembley [in July 1986] stripped-down, that’s forever ingrained in my memory. So Freddie Mercury, onstage at Wembley. All-time performance.

I watch that on YouTube every other year just to refresh. 
You can’t not cry watching it.

I know you have a Christmas film coming as well. Will this be your debut film? 
Yes, it’s my debut Netflix film. So this came out of nowhere, first of all. I didn’t audition for this. They called me and said, “Hey, you look like you can play a pop star.” I’m like, “You know what? I think I can, but it is acting. Let’s see.” So I went, filmed it. It went amazing. And Netflix is incredible to work with, the whole team. And it’s also a Christmas movie.

So I have a Christmas Netflix movie, and a Christmas album coming out with a ton of features. I am very, very excited about it.

That sounds so amazing. I cannot wait to watch it. What would you say is the craziest thing that’s happened to you lately?
The craziest thing? I got stuck in an elevator in Miami at the Edition [hotel]. That was great.

That sounds terrifying.
That was really crazy and scary. I fell down five floors.

Oh, my God. 
Didn’t think I would sing ever again, but we survived. Elevators are actually pretty terrifying. And you find that out the hard way when you’re stuck in it and you fall down five floors. I had my little coffee. I just left the beach. Had my hat on. Having a great chill day on a Miami vacation, and then boom, my hat flies, my coffee goes all over me. And I’m just like, “Am I in a nightmare?” But you don’t really realize in the moment how crazy it is until after, because in the moment you’re just trying to live.

Well, we just rode an elevator together, so it’s another example of you persevering.
Every time I get on an elevator now, I have a problem. I’m just like, “What is this? Let me just take stairs,” which I did yesterday. It was like 10 floors.

You’ve got three albums under your belt. Where would you say is the most unexpected place you’ve ever heard some of your songs?
Oh, my God. Unexpected? I really need to think about this. I hear it at restaurants or department stores, at the mall, the gym a lot. I might have to pass on this question because it’s honestly always at the most commercial places.

Do people ever know it’s you, and your song is playing and you’re standing there?
No, and I have to leave immediately. It’s actually really weird! I’m just like, “Uhhhh,” and walk away.

What would you say is the first song you truly loved growing up?
A lot of Mariah Carey. I had one uncle who loved Mariah Carey, and then I had one uncle who would argue that Shania Twain was better. So they would constantly make me listen to their entire catalog. And I was just like, “You guys, they’re both great.” So they were just like tearing me apart about who was better. Yeah, I love both of them. “Always Be My Baby,” Mariah Carey, we can say really shaped my childhood.

Just to wrap this up, a hard question: Argentina or Spain?
Oh, my God, you’re really trying to create enemies here! This is tough. You can’t win. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. That’s how I feel right now with this question. I’m going to say leave it up to the gods!