"My Head & My Heart" is a song by American singer Ava Max. It was released on November 19, 2020, through Atlantic Records. It was included on the digital reissue of Max's debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Madison Love, Aleksey Potekhin, Sergey Zhukov, Thomas Errikson, Tia Scola, and Cirkut, with production handled by the latter musician, Earwulf and Jonas Blue.
Background and development
Max stated that development of "My Head & My Heart" occurred during September to November 2020, which she intended to release the song in the "right moment".[1] It is the first single exclusively released from the digital reissue of Max's debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020).[2] It was written by Max, Aleksey Potekhin, Madison Love, Sergey Zhukov, Thomas Errikson, Tia Scola, and Cirkut, with production handled by the latter musician, Earwulf and Jonas Blue.[3]
Composition and lyrics
"My Head & My Heart" is a dance song,[4][5] which contains a heavy-layered beat with an electronic sound.[6] According to the song's sheet music that was published on Musicnotes.com, it is set in the time signature of 4 4 common time, with a tempo of 120 beats per minute, while composed in the key of A minor. Max's voice on the track ranges from the low note of G3 to the high note of E5, while the song is constructed in verse–chorus form.[7] "My Head & My Heart" interpolates ATC's 2000 Eurodance song "Around the World (La La La La La)",[1][4][8] which in turn is a cover of the 1998 song "Pesenka" by Ruki Vverh!.[9] The lyrics describe a confrontation between Max and her ex-boyfriend that the former cannot get out of her head,[10] which she subsequently "calls upon an old flame to repair her broken heart" on the hook.[1] The contrast of "head" and "heart" is referred to as another form of duality, reinforcing the concept of Max's album title Heaven & Hell.[5][10]
Critical reception
Writing for Billboard, Gab Ginsberg and Jason Lipshutz praised "My Head & My Heart" as a "sweaty, shimmering dance banger", acknowledging that it allowed the next generation to hear "Around the World (La La La La La)".[4] Carolyn Droke of Uproxx stated that the song was "a thumping ode to freedom",[6] while Mike Wass of Idolator described it as "irresistible" with a "catchy chorus".[11]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 20211 into search. Retrieved January 11, 2021.