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  • - 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

- Hey, this is Billboard,

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