Checking in at the Hard Rock Hotel New York for a conversation with Audacy’s Mike Adam, "Young Pop God," MAX stopped by talk about his upcoming album, his dream collab, fashion and more.
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Currently working on his new album, MAX is “still in the process of manifesting” his dream collabs, divulging Dolly Parton to be his number “one.”
“She wrote me a letter,” telling him “how much she loved” his song “Butterflies.” While they’ve never actually met or spoken directly, MAX admitted, “I’ve always been the biggest fan of hers and she meant so much to me, so I’m excited for the day that I’ll finally see her in person.”
A lover of collabs, MAX also discussed his working relationship with BTS’s Suga, noting “the second we met it was such a surprising easy friendship.” Both avid basketball lovers, (did you know Suga stands for shooting guard), the two bonded over the sport before even stepping into the studio.
Going back to talk about his forthcoming album, which MAX still hasn’t shared the release date for, he explained, "I have it in my brain, I know when it’s gonna be but I can’t quite announce it.” For those curious about the hold up, well, he still hasn’t landed on an album name, which he admitted “is always the hardest for me.”
“It was easier to name my daughter than it was to name this album, it was like so much more natural. I have a name, and then I hate the name, and it’s like I go back and forth so much… There’s like a pressure to encapsulate - what does this body of work give, what do these songs feel like… So once the name comes I’ll probably announce it.”
After Mike pointed out that he “sees MAX on Broadway,” the singer revealed that he actually started out in theater. “I was in a show called '13: The Musical'… It was me, Ariana Grande, Liz Gillies, and a really great cast, and I haven’t been since. That was the one time I did it, but I would be down.”
Noting the last movie he did made him realize he wanted to commit to music full time, after acting in a scene opposite the talented Paul Dano, MAX added, “I just hate auditioning to be honest.” Even though he did audition for the Wicked movie, “so if I were to go back to all that stuff I’d need to find my own way of doing it.”
Calling MAX, “Harry Styles before Harry Styles was Harry Styles,” when it comes to his clothing and style, Mike asked the singer to share who he looks towards for fashion inspiration. “For the classics of course Prince and David Bowie,” MAX started off saying. “Prince especially because he was so tiny, y’know, to make the heels work.” MAX also added Mr. Styles into the mix, and of course Dolly. “She’s a pioneer, wears what makes her feel the most exuberant and herself, and I just try to do the same whenever I can."
A big believer in therapy, MAX went on to share his different reasons for starting, and talked about how, as Mike put it, he “knows he’s doing it right.”
For all that and more, listen to the entire interview above.