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Attitude Breakthrough Award: Ava Max

The 'Sweet but Psycho' hitmaker knows what it's like to feel like an outsider.

By Steve Brown

Ava Max has been honoured with the Breakthrough Award at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2019, powered by Jaguar.

A self-described outsider, the 25-year-old pop starlet has enjoyed a mammoth 12 months with hits like ‘Sweet But Psycho’ and underdog anthem ‘So Am I’.

Many of the LGBTQ community can relate to being targetted as the ‘other’, so it’s no surprise that Ava has already galvanised a formidable gay fan base.

“I’ve always been unapologetically pop, and it has felt so incredibly honouring to have the support of the community. I thank you guys,” Ava says in an exclusive interview in the Attitude Awards issue – available to download and to order globally now.

As traditional lables continue to be eroded, Ava is very much of the generation who don’t believe in being boxed-in when it comes to sexuality. 

“I like it when it’s about who you are as a person”, she explains. “I don’t like people putting me or anyone else I know in a box.

“I have been attracted to a girl before, so I don’t think you should label it.”

Currently putting the finishing touches to her debut album, Ava teases that the record will feature a glorious, glittery, gay anthem – welcome news for her growing army of queer fans.

Ava Max, shot exclusively for Attitude’s Awards issue by Brian Ziff

“It’s going to be the biggest anthem of the year, I’m calling it,” she exclaims.

“It’s basically saying, what if gays and girls ruled the world.”

Read the full interview with Aava and all the winners from the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards 2019, powered by Jaguar in the Attitude Awards issue, out now.

Buy now and take advantage of our best-ever subscription offers: 3 issues for £3 in print, 13 issues for £19.99 to download to any device.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch all the highlights from the Virgin Atlantic Attitude’s Awards 2019, powered by Jaguar.