Ava Max is confronting one of the longest-running narratives of her career in her own music. This week, a leaked snippet from the title track of her upcoming album Don’t Click Play surfaced online, and in it, the pop singer directly addresses years of criticism that she imitates Lady Gaga. A source confirmed to Rolling Stone that the leak is authentic.

In the short preview circulating on social media, Max appears to reference the constant comparisons. “She samples, singing Gaga imitations. Can’t kings and queens look good with poker faces?” she sings, cleverly tying her own 2020 hit “Kings and Queens” to Gaga’s 2008 anthem “Poker Face.” Later in the track, she pushes back at her critics: “But I’m loving myself even if you hate it.”

The leaked lyrics are not the first time Max has publicly addressed the issue. Since breaking onto the pop scene with her platinum-selling debut single “Sweet but Psycho” in 2018, she has frequently been likened to Gaga, both in appearance and in her flamboyant approach to pop.

In a 2023 interview with Nylon, Max laughed off the criticism. “No matter how many haters there are out there, or people who want to bring you down or people who think I’m a Lady Gaga comparison, which is huuuh-larious,” she said. She went on to explain that similarities in their physical appearance have fueled the narrative. “Who doesn’t love Gaga?! I can’t help that I look like this. I was born the way I was born too! I can’t help that I’m 5-foot-2 as well. Like what do they want me to do, dye my hair black?! I did that, and then they started comparing me to Dua! You can’t win.”

The “Don’t Click Play” leak continues a pattern that has followed Max throughout her career. Both of her first two albums, 2020’s Heaven & Hell and 2023’s Diamonds & Dancefloors, had their release schedules disrupted after songs surfaced online ahead of time. Earlier this year, she pleaded with fans not to spread unfinished music. “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,” she wrote in January.

Despite the setbacks, Max has continued to embrace the challenges of modern pop stardom. The title track leak arrives just days before her third full-length project officially drops, following weeks of silence from the singer on social media. A source close to the project confirmed that the album is still slated for release on August 22.

Rolling Stone has obtained the track list and production credits for the 12-song album. Songs include “How Can I Dance,” “Take My Call,” “Skin in the Game,” and “World’s Smallest Violin.” The record is largely produced by Pink Slip and Inverness, frequent collaborators who helped shape its polished, dance-ready sound.

Max has already previewed the project with three singles. She kicked off 2025 with February’s “Lost Your Faith,” followed by May’s self-empowerment anthem “Lovin Myself,” and July’s nostalgic, tongue-in-cheek “Wet, Hot American Dream.” Speaking about “Lovin Myself,” Max said the song marked a turning point. “The song came from a moment where I finally realized I didn’t need anyone else’s validation to feel whole,” she told Rolling Stone.

That theme of self-acceptance appears to run through much of the album. “I’ve been through a lot of phases in my career, highs, lows, public scrutiny, private growth, and through all of that, I started to understand that the most important relationship I’ll ever have is the one I have with myself,” she added.