MAX Dishes On How He ‘Hit It Off’ With BTS’ Suga For Song On His New Album, ‘Colour Vision’
MAX’s ‘Colour Vision’ is out today, but for the ARMY, the only shade they’re seeing is blue. MAX talks with HL about working with Suga of BTS on ‘Blueberry Eyes,’ and how his album represents a ‘more confident’ MAX.
Four years after releasing his Hell’s Kitchen Angel album, pop virtuoso MAX has returned with a new collection of bops, jams, and bangers to brighten your day. Colour Vision, arriving today (Sept. 18), is packed full of irresistible pop in every color of the rainbow. From the funky groove of “Acid Dreams” – a song that’s 100% pure sex – to the bad-guy-trying-to-make-good of “Love Me Less,” there’s something for everyone. However, the ARMY – aka the fans of BTS – one track stands out above all.
Though Colour Vision includes collaborations with Chromeo (“Checklist”), Hayley Kiyoko (“Missed Calls”), and Quinn XCII (the aforementioned “Love Me Less”), “Blueberry Eyes” features a verse from Suga of BTS. MAX – who tells HollywoodLife that he’s been “a fan and ARMY for years” – teamed up with the K-Pop king for this sweet song – and fans seemed to love it. MAX unveiled the track’s official music video on Sept. 15, and in three days, it amassed over 7 million views. That’s even more amazing, considering that Suga doesn’t appear in it!
MAX, while chatting EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife over email, shares the “muse” behind his “Blueberry Eyes” song, how he’s changed since releasing Hell’s Kitchen Angel in 2016, and something “incredibly special” he has planned for fans.
HollywoodLife: The world has changed drastically since you released Hell’s Kitchen Angel. How do you think you’ve changed since your last record?
MAX: I think the MAX of this record is more confident in his overall creative vision than the MAX of Hell’s Kitchen Angel and also more willing to fight for every piece of the vision.
Is there a moment on this album that represents a personal triumph/accomplishment? Like, is there a lyric that came after numerous rewrites, or a bridge that took you a while to get right?
You know “New Life” was really the first song writing-wise that really defined this album for me. The lyric is “I’m the one who decides what my tombstone will read in my new life”. That line came pretty naturally when writing that song, and it was actually the first song I wrote and sang after coming back from my vocal issue.
Being that they’re the biggest band in the world right now, how did your collaboration with Suga come along? And, was there anything particularly surprising with working with this K-Pop superstar?
Well, I’ve been a fan and ARMY for years, so the fact that they’re the biggest band in the world right now is a testament to their hard work and dedication and their fans equal dedication and belief in them. We met in Korea in January of 2020 after years of giving love to each other’s music and ended up hitting off. Making music was the next natural step after a friendship blossomed.
My biggest surprise in working together was just how quickly we connected.
What can you share about “Blueberry Eyes?” The title indicates you’re talking about a specific person.
I wrote it for my beautiful wife, she’s the muse of most of my music. The song is really about how I dreamed I’d feel and treat my soulmate mixed with the reality of finally being with her. Suga’s verse is the cherry on top of adding the passion and romance to the story.
You also collaborated with Quinn XCII, Chromeo, and Hayley Kiyoko on this album. What was it like working with them?
Quinn and I have had an incredible journey with our song “Love Me Less” and have become so close in the process. He’s my boy. I’ve known Hayley for 10 years, and our collaboration has been a long time in the making. I’ve been a huge fan of Chromeo for years and been to many of their shows so getting to collaborate with some of my musical heroes on this record was incredible.
Though parts of the world are reopening, COVID-19 still has made it a bit sketchy to tour. Are you planning on bringing Colour Vision to your fans once it’s all safe and sound, or will you be doing something virtual?
Oh absolutely! I can’t wait to bring this show to life with actual humans in person, but for now, we are doing something incredibly special virtually. Stay tuned. ;)
—
Colour Vision is out now.