Naked (Ava Max song)

"Naked" was released on September 18, 2020, which coincided with the release of Max's debut studio album Heaven & Hell.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/92667/2|title='ヘヴン＆ヘル' エイバ・マックス（Album Review)|trans-title='Heaven & Hell' Ava Max (Album Review)|language=ja|last=Honke|first=Issei|website=Billboard Japan|date=September 29, 2020|access-date=June 12, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7914647/ava-max-drops-debut-lp-unveils-naked-video|title=Ava Max Drops Debut LP, Unveils "Naked" Video|last=Wass|first=Mike|publisher=Idolator|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 19, 2020|archive-date=September 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921052232/https://www.idolator.com/7914647/ava-max-drops-debut-lp-unveils-naked-video|url-status=live}} The song was written by Max, Bonnie McKee, Eden xo, 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.theglassmagazine.com/glass-meets-musician-on-the-rise-ava-max/|title=Glass meets musician on-the-rise Ava Max|last=Kamaraj|first=Chandana|website=The Glass Magazine|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=March 10, 2021}} The song peaked at number 38 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart.

Musically, "Naked" is a pop,{{cite web|url=http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2020/09/18/wonderlist-music-playlist-lady-gaga/|title=Lady Gaga, Flohio and Ava Max go HARD in this week's Wonderlist|last=Slater|first=Bailey|website=Wonderland|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}} dance-pop,{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/music/article/the-best-new-music-from-beabadoobee-to-william-the-conqueror-6f2vq5wlg|title=The best new music, from Beabadoobee to William the Conqueror|website=The Times|date=September 22, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020|url-access=subscription}} electropop, and synth-pop{{cite web|url=https://entertainment.ie/music/new-music-friday-3-great-new-release-songs-to-stream-today-7-462613/|title=New Music Friday: 3 great new release songs to stream today|last=Murphy|first=Lauren|website=Entertainment.ie|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}} song considered as "bass-driven",{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/heaven-hell-mw0003414799|title=Heaven & Hell - Ava Max {{!}} AllMusic Review by Neil Z. Yeung|last=Yeung|first=Neil Z.|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 24, 2020}} and resembles a power ballad. Synthesizers are used in the anthemic chorus 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 [people] go through" and that they are "more than [their] physical bodies". Max additionally explained that her greatest vulnerabilities are kept to herself.{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/09/15/after-sweet-but-psycho-ava-max-has-debut-pop-album-heaven-hell/5760870002/|title=Following 'Sweet but Psycho' success, Ava Max ready to conquer the pop world with debut album 'Heaven & Hell'|last=Levy|first=Piet|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=September 15, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}}

Bailey Slater of Wonderland described "Naked" as a "deep and effortlessly catchy" pop song and favorably compared it to a strong B-side by Carly Rae Jepsen. Writing for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz stated that the song had one of the best chorus introductions in 2020,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9451638/first-stream-justin-bieber-chance-the-rapper-sam-smith-anitta-cardi-b|title=First Stream: New Music From Justin Bieber & Chance The Rapper, Sam Smith, Anitta & Cardi B|last=Lipshutz|first=Jason|magazine=Billboard|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-date=September 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921052240/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9451638/first-stream-justin-bieber-chance-the-rapper-sam-smith-anitta-cardi-b|url-status=live}} while Michael Cragg of The Guardian commented that it shared the "wistful, baked-in nostalgia" used in Katy Perry's 2010 song "Teenage Dream" as Max evoked Ariana Grande's "controlled yearning".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/18/ava-max-heaven-hell-review|title=Ava Max: Heaven & Hell review – turbo-charged 2010s pop joy|last=Cragg|first=Michael|website=The Guardian|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918074602/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/18/ava-max-heaven-hell-review|url-status=live}} Idolator 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 captions", he praised the melody and production. He singled out the final bridge and chorus as Max's best attempt at channeling Mariah Carey, and was her "best vocal performance".{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/09/song-review-ava-max-naked-heaven-hell.html|title=Can Ava Max Ever Follow Up 'Sweet But Psycho'?|last=Curto|first=Justin|website=Vulture.com|date=September 21, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}} 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".{{cite web|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/ava-max-shows-promise-on-debut-album-heaven-hell-review/|title=Ava Max Shows Promise on Anthem-Filled Debut Album 'Heaven & Hell': Review|last=Hautman|first=Nicholas|website=Us Weekly|date=September 17, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}}

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", 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's character from the 1997 science fiction film The Fifth Element.{{cite web|url=https://los40.com/los40/2020/09/18/videoclips/1600422197_544440.html|title=Ava Max Se Desnuda Para 'Naked': Mira El Vídeo y la Letra|trans-title=Ava Max Strips Naked For 'Naked': Watch The Video And Lyrics|last=Moral|first=Selene|publisher=Los 40|language=es|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 20, 2020|archive-date=September 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921052228/https://los40.com/los40/2020/09/18/videoclips/1600422197_544440.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.papelpop.com/2020/09/ava-max-embarca-em-dualidade-no-album-heaven-hell-que-ja-chega-com-clipe-para-naked/|title=Ava Max embarca em dualidade no álbum 'Heaven & Hell', que já chega com clipe para 'Naked'|trans-title=Ava Max embarks on duality on the album 'Heaven & Hell', which arrives with a clip for 'Naked'|last=Francisco|first=Vitor|website=PapelPop|language=pt-BR|date=September 18, 2020|access-date=September 24, 2020}} 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'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".{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1301663/how-ava-max-is-bringing-the-party-to-maroon-5s-stadium-tour|title=How Ava Max Is Bringing the 'Party' to Maroon 5's Stadium Tour|last=Vulpo|first=Mike|website=E! Online|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=September 12, 2021}}

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/155009465/credits|title=Heaven & Hell – Credits|via=Tidal|access-date=September 24, 2020}}

{{div col begin}}

• Amanda Ava Koci{{spaced en dash}} vocals, songwriting
• Henry Walter{{spaced en dash}} production, songwriting
• Trackside{{spaced en dash}} production
• Bonnie McKee{{spaced en dash}} songwriting
• Diederik van Elsas{{spaced en dash}} songwriting
• Jessie Eden Malakouti{{spaced en dash}} songwriting
• Parrish Warrington{{spaced en dash}} songwriting
• Chris Gehringer{{spaced en dash}} mastering
• Serban Ghenea{{spaced en dash}} mixing
• John Hanes{{spaced en dash}} engineering

{{div col end}}

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Category:2020 singles

Category:Ava Max songs

Category:2020 songs

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Hannah Lux Davis

Category:Song recordings produced by Cirkut

Category:Songs written by Ava Max

Category:Songs written by Cirkut

Category:Songs written by Bonnie McKee