"Naked" is a song by American singer
Ava Max, released through
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
on September 18, 2020, from her debut studio album ''
Heaven & Hell'' (2020). The song was written by Max,
Bonnie McKee,
Eden xo
Eden may refer to:
*Garden of Eden, the "garden of God" described in the Book of Genesis
Places and jurisdictions
Canada
* Eden, Ontario
* Eden High School
Middle East
* Eden, Lebanon, a city and former bishopric
* Camp Eden, Iraq
Oc ...
, Parrish Warrington, Diederik van Elsas, and
Cirkut, while produced by Cirkut and Trackside. It is a
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
,
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
, and
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
song containing
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s and
bass guitar. The lyrics depict the perception of Max's internalized emotions being emphasized past her physical appearance.
"Naked" received generally positive reviews from
music critics; some praised the production, while other reviewers criticized the lyrics. The song peaked at number 38 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart. An accompanying
music video was directed by
Hannah Lux Davis and was released on September 18, 2020. It depicts Max as an orange-haired alien, who was compared to
Milla Jovovich
Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich; sr-Latn, Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; russian: Милица Богдановна Йовович; uk, Милиця Богданoвна Йовович ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovo ...
's character from the
science fiction film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...
''
The Fifth Element'' (1997).
Background and composition
"Naked" was released on September 18, 2020, which coincided with the release of Max's debut studio album ''
Heaven & Hell''.
The song was written by Max,
Bonnie McKee,
Eden xo
Eden may refer to:
*Garden of Eden, the "garden of God" described in the Book of Genesis
Places and jurisdictions
Canada
* Eden, Ontario
* Eden High School
Middle East
* Eden, Lebanon, a city and former bishopric
* Camp Eden, Iraq
Oc ...
, Parrish Warrington, Diederik van Elsas, and
Cirkut, while produced by Cirkut and Trackside.
It was initially written as a
ballad, but changed by Cirkut when Max was dissatisfied with its original concept.
The song peaked at number 38 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart.
Musically, "Naked" is a
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
,
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
,
and
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
song considered as "
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
-driven",
and resembles a
power ballad.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s are used in the
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
ic
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
as Max
belts the lyric, "You can take off all my clothes and never see me naked". She stated that "Naked" is about "the real emotions
eoplego through" and that they are "more than
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
physical bodies".
Max additionally explained that her greatest vulnerabilities are kept to herself.
Critical reception
Bailey Slater of ''
Wonderland
Wonderland may refer to:
Places
Municipalities
* Wonderland, California, a ghost town in Plumas County
* Wonderland, Ohio, a ghost town in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Roads, streets, and trails
* Wonderland Avenue, a roadway in Laurel Canyon, Los Ang ...
'' described "Naked" as a "deep and effortlessly catchy" pop song and favorably compared it to a strong
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
by
Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen (born November 21, 1985) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After studying musical theatre for most of her school life and while in university, Jepsen garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of ...
.
Writing for ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', Jason Lipshutz stated that the song had one of the best chorus introductions in 2020, while Michael Cragg of ''
The Guardian'' commented that it shared the "wistful, baked-in nostalgia" used in
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
's 2010 song "
Teenage Dream Teenage Dream may refer to:
Music Albums
* ''Teenage Dream'' (IQU album), 2000
* ''Teenage Dream'' (Katy Perry album), 2010
*''Teenage Dream'', a 1990 EP by Thrilled Skinny
*''Teenage Dream'' a 1998 album by Michiyo Heike
*''Teenage Dreams'', a 2 ...
" as Max evoked
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
's "controlled yearning".
Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
writer Mike Wass opined that the "dreamy mid-tempo" song is a "highlight" of ''Heaven & Hell'',
while Neil Z. Yeung of
AllMusic considered it to be "sleek".
Justin Curto of ''
Vulture'' noted that while the lyrics resembled "vague
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
captions", he praised the
melody
A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...
and production. He singled out the final
bridge and chorus as Max's best attempt at channeling
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
, and was her "best vocal performance". Writing for ''
Billboard Japan'', Issei Honke opined that the song is "a little mundane", but acknowledged that it was "comfortable to listen to" and sounded recognizable to Japanese listeners.
However, ''
Us Weekly'' writer Nicholas Hautman criticized "Naked" for containing cliché lyrics about "stripping away clothes".
Music video and live performance
An accompanying
music video was directed by American music video director
Hannah Lux Davis,
and released alongside ''Heaven & Hell'' on September 18, 2020.
It was filmed in the same weekend as Max's 2020 song "
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 September 3, 2020. The disco-funk and disco-pop song w ...
", which was also directed by Davis.
The futuristic video depicts Max as an alien with "scant clothes and orange hair", who was compared to
Milla Jovovich
Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich; sr-Latn, Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; russian: Милица Богдановна Йовович; uk, Милиця Богданoвна Йовович ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovo ...
's character from the 1997
science fiction film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...
''
The Fifth Element''.
Wass considered the visual to be "striking" and described Max's appearance as "peeling back the layers".
Max performed an
acoustic version of "Naked" during her set of
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
's
2020 Tour in 2021. She stated that it was the only acoustic song in her dance-heavy performances, which "kind of slows the show down".
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from
Tidal.
*
Amanda Ava Koci vocals, songwriting
*
Henry Walter
Henry Walter (1611–1678?) was a Welsh Anglican priest who became a Puritan.
Life
Walter was born in the parish of St. Arvans, Monmouthshire, south Wales in 1611 and studied at the University of Oxford, matriculating as a member of Jesus ...
production, songwriting
* Trackside production
* Bonnie McKee songwriting
* Diederik van Elsas songwriting
*
Jessie Eden Malakouti songwriting
* Parrish Warrington songwriting
*
Chris Gehringer mastering
*
Serban Ghenea mixing
* John Hanes engineering
Charts
References
{{authority control
2020 singles
Ava Max songs
2020 songs
Atlantic Records singles
Music videos directed by Hannah Lux Davis
Song recordings produced by Cirkut (record producer)
Songs written by Ava Max
Songs written by Cirkut (record producer)
Songs written by Bonnie McKee