Ava Max Claps Back at Lady Gaga Comparisons on Leaked 'Don't Click Play' Track

Ava Max is facing another early music leak—this time with her upcoming album's title track, "Don't Click Play."

A snippet shared online this week revealed lyrics where the pop singer directly addresses long-standing comparisons to Lady Gaga.

In the leaked clip, Max 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."

The line nods both to her own hit "Kings and Queens" and Gaga's classic "Poker Face." A source confirmed to Rolling Stone that the snippet is authentic.

This isn't the first time Max has spoken about being compared to Gaga. In a 2023 interview with "Nylon," she brushed off the comments, saying, "No matter how many haters there are... people who think I'm a Lady Gaga comparison, which is huuuh-larious."

She added that she can't control her appearance or height, joking that even after dying her hair black, critics compared her to Dua Lipa instead.

Despite Leaks, Ava Max's "Don't Click Play" Drops August 22

Leaks have been a constant challenge in Max's career. Both her debut album Heaven & Hell and her follow-up Diamonds & Dancefloors were delayed after unauthorized tracks spread online.

According to NME, earlier this year, Max urged fans not to circulate unfinished material, explaining, "I have a lot of demos I've written that are not finalized records, and I'd appreciate it if you stop leaking these records like this one."

Despite the leak, her label confirmed that "Don't Click Play" is still scheduled for release on August 22.

The 12-track project includes songs such as "How Can I Dance," "Take My Call," "Skin in the Game," and "World's Smallest Violin," with most of the production handled by Pink Slip and Inverness.

The singer has already released three singles from the album: "Lost Your Faith" in February, "Lovin Myself" in May, and "Wet, Hot American Dream" in July.

When promoting "Lovin Myself," Max said the song reflected her growth, noting, "I finally realized I didn't need anyone else's validation to feel whole."

Max has been mostly absent from social media in recent weeks, which left some fans speculating about the project's status.

But her team has reassured that the release date remains unchanged.

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Lady Gaga