One-Word Rating: Miiiraaaaclllllee (In that exact pronunciation)
Interpolation. A very controversial concept in music, especially in contemporary circles. Defenders say that interpolation allows musicians to rework musical ideas to fit their own style or just modern trends in general, breathing new life into older songs with different techniques, cadences, or instrumentals. On the other hand, critics rightfully point out the exponential rise in hit songs that rely heavily on interpolation without much else, allowing undeserving musicians to hop onto an idea with less work and even less effort to shake the mold. Either way, both sides can agree that one artist is guilty of interpolation more than any other: Ava Max?
I write this trepidatiously, because in Ava Max’s case the work speaks for herself. Before I get into her latest offering Million Dollar Baby, which interpolates the chorus of Leann Rimes’ Can’t Fight the Moonlight, I want to touch on the multitude of other songs (many of them undeniable hits) that she has released with either samples or interpolations:
- Torn: released in August 2019, is a standard pop song that has an inoffensive and barely noticeable sample of the ever-iconic Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) by Abba. It’s so reworked it can be difficult to catch, but I included it regardless.
- Kings & Queens: one of Ava Max’s biggest hits, Kings & Queens interpolates the chorus of Bonnie Tyler’s If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man), which in turn was interpolated and popularized in Bon Jovi’s You Give Love a Bad Name. Kind of a mindfuck of interpolations. You’ll notice in the next few examples that the interpolations are typically reserved for the chorus of the song. I can’t complain over Kings & Queens, as it has become a slight guilty pleasure even after being overplayed into the ground all of 2020. Bonus points for the sick guitar solo.
- My Head & My Heart: another classic club song, which I was introduced to last year during a lipsync between Jorgeous and Orion Story on Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 14. Probably the most egregious of the interpolations, the track is heavily carried by the production and pre-chorus. It’s at no points unlistenable or even boring, but it showcases the underlying issue of interpolations: living up to the expectations and quality of the original. My Head & My Heart is cute, but ATC’s Around the World (La La La La) is gorgeous. And gorgeous devours cute (as Tiffany Pollard would say).
- Not Your Barbie Girl: avoid this song at all costs. It is a rough listen. Based on the title, I would hope you could understand a certain track that could be used as an interpolation. Ava Max transforms the classic 90’s Eurodance bop into a snoozefest empowerment anthem that has nothing to say. NEXT!
As you can see, it’s definitely a mixed bag of critical and commercial success. Her “biggest hit” chart wise Sweet but Psycho is a total original work, but her subsequent second and third highest charting songs (Kings & Queens and My Head & My Heart) both heavily interpolate for their choruses. I think the rightful conclusion is that interpolation doesn’t equal success, but it definitely plays into the earworm-esque quality that an artist like Ava Max (who isn’t an established name with a dedicated fanbase) needs to get radio support and viral Tiktok audio clips.
Basically, the formula for interpolation and samples goes two ways: It starts with the teasing of the track or simply a surprise release, either way using a tried-and-true structure/pitch/singing cadence that appeals to fans of the interpolated artist along with people oblivious to it’s background that appreciate the repeatability and catchiness of the track. After all, the original interpolation is usually a hit single from decades prior that happened to fit into the niche music audiences were listening for, so it’s understandable how less popular artists would try to metaphorically “piggyback” off its past success in the present. This tactic usually works, although it matters how close the lyrics and sound of the song match it’s predecessor and how both aforementioned audiences respond.
An example of this is Leah Kate’s My Bed, which was ridiculed and dragged on stan Twitter for an interpolation of Kylie Minogue’s timeless future-pop song Can’t Get You Outta My Head that was deemed lazy and uninspired. With a reception that poor prior to release, My Bed‘s current position as Leah Kate’s third most streamed song on Spotify (currently at 700,000 streams in under two weeks) speaks for itself as an indicator for which audience it appealed to.
The other formula for interpolations and samples, popular in the Rap and R&B communities especially, is spotlighting less popular “underground” songs in projects by popular artists. Think Beyonce’s Renaissance, which brought Black queer house music to the forefront of the industry in new and innovative ways. Every song features a wide array of musical and cultural reference points in history (from the 1980’s to the 2010’s) that breathes new life into the tracks.
It all comes down to the intention behind it, and I can say with confidence that Ava Max is the outlier. She falls into the gray area between appropriation and appreciation of interpolations, because the music manages to be both commercially-available and at times sterile while also being peak dance pop perfection.
Million Dollar Baby is definitely pop perfection (see, I told you we’d get back here eventually). The interpolation is barely noticeable because the tempo of the song is faster with a Europop spin. There’s an aspirational message, a great crescendo of energy from verse-to-prechorus-to-chorus that packs a punch, and a few adlibs and strong vocal moments for Ava Max’s personality to really shine. Shout out to the buildup to the final chorus that includes violins, a perfectly-layered array of high notes that would put even Ariana Grande to shame, and the easily remembered “ma-ma-ma-ma-ma” that I guarantee will rattle around your noggin for hours after listening to this masterpiece. I can’t tell if the song is rich or I’m just too poor to function. Its spot as Ava Max’s fifth most streamed song on Spotify (with 40 million streams no less) is criminally low, but proof that interpolation alone doesn’t make a successful song. Stream Ava Max for lots of diamonds and dancefloors!