"OMG What's Happening" 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 ...

as the seventh

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

from her debut studio album, '' Heaven & Hell'' (2020). It was released September 3, 2020. The

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

and disco-

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 ...

song was written by Max, Roland Spreckley, Henri Antero Salonen, Sorana Păcurar, Cirkut and Jason Gill, and produced by the latter two writers alongside Hank Solo. A music video was released on October 29, 2020, which was directed by American music video director Hannah Lux Davis. It depicts Max racing against other drivers in muscle cars.

Background and development

Max first teased the release of "OMG What's Happening" on her social media accounts on August 31, 2020. She posted the song's official cover art on September 2, 2020, and announced that it would be released the next day, stating that it was one of her favorite songs on ''Heaven & Hell''. The cover art depicts Max wearing a red cowboy hat and gloves, while standing on top of a monster truck. "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. 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.

Composition and critical reception

"OMG What's Happening" is a

and disco-

song. Jon Pareles of '' The New York Times'' stated that it was part of the "disco revival" preceded by music released from Doja Cat,

Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco- pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Gramm ...

, and Lady Gaga, while Issei Honke of '' Billboard Japan'' additionally specified that "OMG What's Happening" followed 2020 songs such as Doja Cat's "

Say So "Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, ''Hot Pink'' (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, and Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym T ...

" (2020), and Lipa's " Don't Start Now" (2019). The song contains Dominican

bachata Bachata may refer to: * Bachata (music), a genre of Latin American music **Traditional bachata, a subgenre of bachata music * Bachata (dance), a dance style from the Dominican Republic * Bachatón, a hybrid bachata/reggaeton music style * "Bachata ...

guitar

syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...

s which transition into disco

hi-hat A hi-hat (hihat, high-hat, etc.) is a combination of two cymbals and a pedal, all mounted on a metal stand. It is a part of the standard drum kit used by drummers in many styles of music including rock, pop, jazz, and blues. Hi-hats consist o ...

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

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

. It also uses a chord progression from

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...

's 1978 song " I Will Survive", which inverses its lyrical message about being "smitten" in place of the original song's message of "independence". "OMG What's Happening" utilizes vibey hooks and a spoken-word bridge, while Max performed high-wire vocal undulations compared to Marina Diamandis. Mike Wass from ''

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 ...

'' described "OMG What's Happening" as a "loved-up banger" that "finds the pop star head over heels". Writing for '' Us Weekly'', Nicholas Hautman stated that it was "disco realness", while Honke wrote that the song resembled a "disco-like atmosphere" from the late 1970s.

Music video

American music video director Hannah Lux Davis announced her involvement in the music video on her social media accounts on September 2, 2020. It was filmed during the same weekend as Max's 2020 song " Naked", which was also directed by Davis. Prior to the video's release, Max mentioned that it involved a large truck and several fast muscle cars in the desert. A lyric video was released on September 3, 2020, which coincided with the song's release. The music video was released on October 29, 2020, which depicts Max as a driver on a truck covered with flames, while racing on an empty highway against another taunting driver.

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 ...

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

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2020 singles 2020 songs Ava Max songs Atlantic Records singles Music videos directed by Hannah Lux Davis Song recordings produced by Cirkut Songs written by Ava Max Songs written by Cirkut Songs written by Jason Gill (musician) Songs written by Sorana (singer)