OMG What's Happening

"OMG What's Happening" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released through Atlantic Records as the seventh single from her debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). It was released on September 3, 2020. The song was written by Max, Roland Spreckley, Henri Antero Salonen, Sorana Pacurar, Cirkut and Jason Gill, and produced by the latter two writers alongside Hank Solo.

"OMG What's Happening"
Single by Ava Max
from the album Heaven & Hell
ReleasedSeptember 3, 2020 (2020-09-03)
Recorded2020
GenreDisco-funk
Length2:59
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Ava Max singles chronology
"Who's Laughing Now"
(2020)		 "OMG What's Happening"
(2020)		 "Naked"
(2020)
Music video
"OMG What's Happening" on YouTube

Background and development

Max first teased the release of "OMG What's Happening" on her social media accounts on August 31, 2020.[1] She posted the song's official cover art on September 2, 2020, and announced that it would be released the next day,[2][3] stating that it was one of her favorite songs on Heaven & Hell.[4] The cover art depicts Max wearing a red cowboy hat and gloves, while standing on top of a monster truck.[3] "OMG What's Happening" was written by Max, Roland Spreckley, Henri Antero Salonen, Sorana Pacurar, with producers Cirkut and Jason Gill. Hank Solo was also involved in production.[5] The lyric "There's something about your face / I don't know whether to kiss it or punch it" was initially recorded by Max in quarantine from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic as a joke, but she decided to keep it in the song anyway.[6]

Composition

"OMG What's Happening" is a disco-funk song.[7] Jon Pareles of The New York Times compared it to songs released by Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, and Lady Gaga. The song contains Dominican bachata guitar syncopations which transition into disco hi-hats, synthesizers and rhythm guitar. It also uses a chord progression from Gloria Gaynor's 1978 song "I Will Survive", which inverses its lyrical message about being "smitten" in place of the original song's message of "independence".[8] "OMG What's Happening" utilizes vibey hooks and a spoken-word bridge,[9] while Max performed high-wire vocal undulations compared to Marina Diamandis.[10]

Critical reception

Mike Wass from Idolator described the song as a "loved-up banger" that "finds the pop star head over heels".[11] Writing for Us Weekly, Nicholas Hautman stated that it was "disco realness".[12]

Music video

On September 2, 2020, American music video director Hannah Lux Davis announced her involvement in the "OMG What's Happening" music video on her social media accounts.[13] Prior to the music video's release, Max mentioned that it involved a large truck and several fast muscle cars in the desert.[14] A lyric video was released on September 3, 2020, which coincided with the song's release.[15] The music video was released on October 29, 2020, and depicted Max as a driver on a truck covered with flames, while racing on an empty highway against another taunting driver.[16][17]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]

  • Amanda Ava Koci – vocals, songwriting
  • Henry Walter – songwriting, production
  • Jason Gill – songwriting, production
  • Henri Antero Salonen – songwriting
  • Roland Spreckley – songwriting
  • Sorana Pacurar – songwriting
  • Hank Solo – production
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • John Hanes – engineering

Charts
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Finland (Suomen virallinen albumilista)[18] 17
Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[19] 50
Hungary (Single Top 40)[20] 25
Lithuania (AGATA)[21] 52
Norway (VG-lista)[22] 32
Romania (Airplay 100)[23] 79
Scotland (OCC)[24] 95
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 72
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 65
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[27] 39

Release history
Release dates and formats for "OMG What's Happening"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various September 3, 2020
Atlantic [3]
Australia September 4, 2020 Contemporary hit radio
[28]

References
  1. "Can't wait for you to fully experience #HeavenAndHell. Tomorrow, you'll be one step closer…". August 31, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020 – via Instagram.
  2. "OMG, What's Happening, Ava Max annonce un nouveau single !" [OMG, What's Happening, Ava Max announces a new single!]. Virgin Radio (France) (in French). September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  3. Francisco, Vitor (September 3, 2020). "Ava Max divulga capa de novo single, "OMG What's Happening", que chega amanhã (03)" [Ava Max releases cover of new single, "OMG What's Happening", which arrives tomorrow (03)]. PapelPop (in Portuguese). Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  4. "One of my favorite songs on the album...Omg. Tomorrow!! #OMGWhatsHappening". September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020 – via Instagram.
  5. "OMG What's Happening – Credits". Retrieved September 4, 2020 – via Tidal.
  6. Savage, Mark (September 22, 2020). "Ava Max: 'I need to make it, no matter what'". BBC News. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  7. Yeung, Neil Z. "Heaven & Hell - Ava Max". AllMusic. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  8. Pareles, Jon (September 4, 2020). "SZA's Surprise Return, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  9. Wadia, Helena (September 18, 2020). "Ava Max - Heaven & Hell review: Catchy tunes, but manufactured pop lyrics lack personality". Evening Standard. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  10. Cragg, Michael (September 18, 2020). "Ava Max: Heaven & Hell review – turbo-charged 2010s pop joy". The Guardian. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  11. Wass, Mike (September 3, 2020). "Ava Max Drops Loved-Up Banger 'OMG What's Happening'". Idolator. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  12. Hautman, Nicholas (September 17, 2020). "Ava Max Shows Promise on Debut Album 'Heaven & Hell': Review". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  13. "Been having too much fun with this girl. Exciting things coming soon! 🔥 @avamax". September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020 – via Instagram.
  14. Tan, Vanessa (September 18, 2020). "'It resembles everything I've gone through.' Ava Max talks debut album Heaven and Hell, her dream K-pop collaborations, and coping with COVID-19". Bandwagon. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  15. "Ava Max - OMG What's Happening [Official Lyric Video]". Retrieved September 3, 2020 – via YouTube.
  16. Wass, Mike (October 29, 2020). "Ava Max's "OMG What's Happening" Video Is A Highway Romance". Idolator. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  17. Droke, Carolyn (October 29, 2020). "Ava Max Is A Sweltering Speed Demon In Her 'OMG What's Happening' Video". Uproxx. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  18. "Ava Max – Suomen virallinen lista – Musiikkituottajat". Musiikkituottajat (in Finnish). Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  19. "Ava Max". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  20. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  21. "2020 37-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)". Agata (in Lithuanian). Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  22. "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 37, 2020". VG-lista. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  23. Arvunescu, Victor (September 28, 2020). "Top Airplay 100 - La vremuri noi, lideri noi, chiar şi în muzică!" [Top Airplay 100 – New times, new leaders, even in music!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  25. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 37". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Ava Max – OMG What's Happening". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  27. "Ava Max Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  28. "Singles To Radio". The Music Network. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
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