For anyone still under the illusion that Ava Max is playing it safe, her new single “Wet, Hot American Dream” should put that myth to bed — or on the floor of a summer house party at 2 a.m. Max isn’t just angling for a patriotic pop anthem ahead of her performance on the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks special; she’s lighting her own fuse with a hypercharged track that’s as shameless as it is savvy.
Built on a shimmering synth-pop foundation, “Wet, Hot American Dream” feels tailor-made for a neon-lit roller rink with glittering confetti falling in slow motion — and that’s before Max even opens her mouth. When she does, it’s with a line that would’ve sent a censor scrambling during the TRL days: “Tell me all your dirty secrets / All your fantasies / I wanna be your blue jean, white tee, wet, hot American dream.” Subtle? Not even close. But that’s the point. It’s a pop power play in denim and lipstick, refusing to apologize for being horny, high-gloss, and commercially explosive.
With her upcoming album Don’t Click Play dropping August 22 via Atlantic Records, this single doubles as a thesis statement. The title alone suggests a wink at the culture of overexposure and algorithmic consumption, but Max, ever the pop tactician, knows how to weaponize the very system she’s critiquing. Drop a provocative single days before a televised national holiday performance? Check. Announce a major tour with venues ranging from Radio City Music Hall to Toronto’s Great Canadian? Double check.
And let’s talk about that tour. From L.A.’s Greek Theatre to Boston’s MGM Music Hall, Max is hitting key pop battlegrounds with the confidence of someone who’s been here before — and plans to stay. For fans of Heaven & Hell and Diamonds & Dancefloors, the Don’t Click Play Tour promises a continuation of Max’s theatrical, often tongue-in-cheek approach to pop stardom. But if this new single is any indication, the gloves — and maybe the jeans — are coming off.
“Wet, Hot American Dream” isn’t just a summer song. It’s a declaration that Ava Max won’t be dialed down. She’s here for the fantasy, the fire, and yes — the filthy secrets.