Torn (Ava Max song)

2019 single by Ava Max

"Torn"

Single by Ava Max
B-side| "Salt"
Released| August 19, 2019
Studio| A Studios, West Hollywood, California
Genre|

* Dance
* pop

Length| 3:18
Label| Atlantic
Songwriter(s)|

* Amanda Ava Koci
* Madison Love
* James Lavigne
* Thomas Eriksen
* Sam Denison Martin
* Henry Walter

Producer(s)| Cirkut
Ava Max singles chronology
| "Slow Dance"
(2019)  | "Torn"
(2019)  | "Tabú"
(2019)

|
|

Alternate cover

CD single cover

Music video
"Torn" on YouTube

"Torn" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released as a single on August 19, 2019, through Atlantic Records. It was included on her debut studio album Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was written by Max, Madison Love, James Lavigne, Thomas Eriksen, Sam Martin, and the producer Cirkut. It is a dance and pop song with lyrics describing the internal struggle between wanting to stay and leave in a relationship. "Torn" charted in the top 10 in Poland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The song was certified double platinum in Poland and was certified gold in five countries.

An accompanying music video was directed by Korean-American director Joseph Kahn and released on August 27, 2019. The superhero-themed video was filmed in Milan for four days. Max portrayed dual identities; a regular woman and a superhero, as she sought revenge on her boyfriend. Max performed "Torn" as a medley in the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards and 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards shows, and at the 2019 Jingle Bell Ball.

## Background and composition

[edit]

Max teased "Torn" in the caption of a video posted on Instagram, asking her fans if they knew the name of the song she was about to release. A pre-order link for "Torn" was discovered, with Max subsequently sharing the cover art and a snippet of the song.[1] "Torn" was released on August 19, 2019.[2] It was written by Max, Madison Love, James Lavigne, Thomas Eriksen, Sam Martin, and the producer Cirkut.[3] The song was recorded in Virginia Beach,[4] and West Hollywood, California in A Studios.[3]

"Torn" is a dance[5] and pop[6] song, which uses elements of disco.[5][6] The lyrics describe the internal struggle of wanting to leave while also wanting to stay with a lover,[5] which Max stated that the song "explores the struggle" between "love and hate".[2]

## Critical reception and commercial performance

[edit]

Shaad D'Souza of The Fader compared "Torn" to the discography of ABBA.[7] Writing for Us Weekly, Nicholas Hautman noted that it "subtly sample[d]" the group's 1979 song "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)".[8] Max responded to the comparisons by stating that she listened to ABBA and Ace of Base during her childhood, and wanted to "add a little disco flair in there".[9] The song was included on Vogue's Best Songs of 2019 listicle, where writer Christian Allaire stated that it "earworms its way into my head at least once a day".[10]

In Poland, "Torn" peaked at number three on the Polish Airplay Top 100 chart dated November 16, 2019,[11] and was certified double platinum by the Polish Airplay Top 100 (ZPAV) for track-equivalent sales of 40,000 units in the country.[12] The song reached number three in the Netherlands,[13] number four in Slovakia,[14] and number nine in Slovenia.[15] On the Scottish Singles Chart issued September 6, 2019, "Torn" bowed at number 18,[16] while the song peaked at number 87 on the UK Singles Chart dated September 13, 2019, where it remained for two weeks.[17] "Torn" was certified gold in Austria,[18] Brazil,[19] France,[20] Italy,[21] and Switzerland.[22]

## Music video

[edit]

### Background

[edit]

The Joseph Kahn-directed music video was shot in Milan for four days from June to August 2019, and was released on August 27, 2019.[23] It has been considered to be "superhero-themed".[24] Madeline Roth of MTV News described Max's character as a "woman scorned" who "goes undercover as a hero who kicks the shit out of some masked villains — including her shady boyfriend". Roth described the secret identity of Max's character as someone who "endur[ed] a venomous relationship" and survived a betrayal to "fight back". Max explained the process of creating the concept of the video, stating that she perceived the visuals while recording the song and knew exactly what she wanted.[25] She approached Kahn with the idea of creating two personas for an ordinary woman named 'Amanda', and a superhero named 'Ava Max'.[26] Max jokingly asked him to allow her to become a superhero, with the knowledge that it was difficult to accomplish. However, Kahn responded that he "always wanted to do that".[25]

Max performed her own stunts, spending the morning in the second day of the shoot practicing before shooting the video at 1:00am.[26] She is seen wearing various pieces of clothing from Trussardi, including archive items from the Eighties and Nineties, such as glittery pumps with the 'T' logo on the heel, a leather trench coat and a messenger bag with Trussardi's greyhound logo as the closure. Max stated that she "wanted something uniquely Italian with a rich history that was fashion-forward yet elegant. Trussardi was the only option".[27] A model of the Fiat Panda customized by Trussardi is briefly featured in the music video, which a portion was used in commercials.[28][29] As of March 2023, the video has over 100 million views on YouTube.[30]

### Synopsis

[edit]

The music video was described as "superhero-themed" by music critics, which represented the duality of Max as a regular woman, and a superhero seeking revenge after a relationship betrayal.

The video begins with a worn-out book opening the page to Chapter One. A brunette woman named Amanda (portrayed by Ava Max) is seen arguing with her boyfriend across the dining table, as he storms out to his car and drives off in the rain. Amanda then transforms into her superhero costume inside the mansion, consisting of a red cape, silver pants and signature blonde hair, half cut on her right side. In Chapter Two, several masked thugs commit a store robbery and make their getaway in a red sports car. Amanda confronts them in the middle of the highway and proceeds to overpower them, as comic-style text appears after each blow. Back at the mansion, news of the incident is broadcast, as her boyfriend watches on the couch. Back in her brunette hair, Amanda furiously scrubs the dishes as sparks appear from her hands, eventually cracking them in half.

The next scene starts with Amanda's boyfriend getting out of the car with another girl. Amanda is seen walking the dog out, as she cuts the seat belt from the same car. She emerges in a masked ball while wearing a half-mask, and encounters her boyfriend wearing a domino mask. The two walk out to the balcony, where the two embrace, as flashback scenes quickly play out from the beginning of the video. However, her boyfriend pushes her off the balcony, as Amanda falls into the ocean. Multiple jump cuts occur between scenes of Amanda plunging in the ocean, and laying inside a bath tub back in the mansion. Chapter Three depicts Amanda flying out of the ocean floor and back into her boyfriend's sight, as she proceeds to electrocute him by punching him in the mouth. The video ends with brunette Amanda walking out of the mansion with her boyfriend on the couch, as the book lands on the 'Fin' page before finally closing.

## Live performances

[edit]

Max gave her first televised performance of "Torn" on the pre-show at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards in a medley with "Sweet but Psycho".[7] During the performance, Max and the dancers appeared in silver costumes and gladiator boots, as they performed a choreographed dance with vocal runs.[31] While appearing on the red carpet at the same event, she wore a shiny superhero costume with a red cape attached,[32] which served as a tease for the music video released the next day.[25] Max performed "Torn" and "Sweet but Psycho" at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards, where she wore a red gown while performing on a white runway, which was described by Joe Lynch of Billboard as using "minimalist imagery to maximum effect".[33] At the 2019 Jingle Bell Ball, Max performed "Torn" in a medley with "So Am I" and "Sweet but Psycho",[34] performing with other artists such as The Script, Rita Ora, Regard and Mabel.[35]

## Track listing

[edit]

Digital download / streaming[36]

1. "Torn" - 3:18

Digital download / streaming – Kream remix[37]

1. "Torn" (KREAM Remix) - 2:49

Digital download / streaming – Hook n Sling remix[38]

1. "Torn" (Hook N Sling Remix) - 3:33

Digital download / streaming – Cirkut DJ mix[39]

1. "Torn" (Cirkut DJ Mix) - 3:29

Digital download / streaming – Adryiano remix[40]

1. "Torn" (Adryiano Remix) - 4:33

Streaming[41]

1. "Torn" (KREAM Remix) - 2:49
2. "Torn" (Hook N Sling Remix) - 3:33
3. "Torn" (Cirkut DJ Mix) - 3:29
4. "Torn" (Adryiano Remix) - 4:33
5. "Torn" - 3:18

German CD single[3]

1. "Torn" - 3:18
2. "Salt" - 3:00

|

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the German CD single.[3]

Publishing and recording locations

* Published by Sam Martin Music Publishing / Artist Publishing Group West / Kobalt Songs Music Publishing / I Think I'm Nino Publishing / Max Cut Publishing / Warner Geo Met Ric Music / Warner Chappell Music / Cirkut Breaker
* Recorded at A Studios, West Hollywood, California
* Mixed at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Personnel

* Amanda Ava Koci - vocals, songwriting
* Henry Walter - songwriting, production, vocal recording
* Thomas Eriksen - songwriting, co-production
* James Lavigne - songwriting
* Madison Love - songwriting
* Sam Denison Martin - songwriting
* Serban Ghenea - mixing
* John Hanes - mixing engineer

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Torn"  | Chart (2019–2020)  | Peak
position

|

Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA)[42] | 34
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[43] | 60
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[44] | 23
Croatia (HRT)[45] | 17
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[46] | 26
Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[47] | 20
Finland Airplay (Radiosoittolista)[48] | 3
France (SNEP)[49] | 106
Germany (GfK)[50] | 59
Germany Airplay (BVMI)[51] | 2
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[52] | 34
Hungary (Single Top 40)[53] | 14
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[54] | 21
Italy (FIMI)[55] | 82
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[56] | 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[13] | 3
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[57] | 27
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[11] | 3
Romania (Airplay 100)[58] | 54
San Marino (SMRRTV Top 50)[59] | 39
Scotland (OCC)[16] | 18
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[14] | 4
Slovenia (SloTop50)[15] | 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[60] | 28
UK Singles (OCC)[17] | 87

### Year-end charts

[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Torn" in 2019  | Chart (2019)  | Position

|

Poland (ZPAV)[61] | 45
Year-end chart performance for "Torn" in 2020  Chart (2020)  | Position

|

Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[62] | 89

## Certifications

[edit]

Certification and sales for "Torn"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Austria (IFPI Austria)[18] | Gold  | 15,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[19] | Platinum  | 40,000‡
France (SNEP)[20] | Gold  | 100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[21] | Gold  | 35,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[12] | 3× Platinum  | 60,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[22] | Gold  | 10,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Release dates and formats for "Torn"  Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Version  | Label  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Various  | August 19, 2019  |

* Digital download
* streaming

| Original  | Atlantic | [36]
Italy  | August 30, 2019  | Radio airplay | Warner | [63]
Various  | September 5, 2019  |

* Digital download
* streaming

| KREAM remix  | [37]
September 12, 2019  | Hook N Sling remix  | [38]
September 26, 2019  | Cirkut DJ mix  | [39]
October 10, 2019  | Adryiano remix  | [40]
Germany  | January 10, 2020  | CD single | Original  | Atlantic  | [3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Wass, Mike (August 15, 2019). "More New Music? Ava Max Is Releasing A Single Called 'Torn'". Idolator. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
2. ^ a b Leiber, Sarah Jae (August 19, 2019). "Ava Max Unleashes New Disco-Tinged Single 'Torn'". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
3. ^ a b c d e "Ava Max: Torn (2-Track)" (in German). jpc. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
4. ^ Poulter, Amy (September 18, 2020). "Rising pop star Ava Max releases her debut album today. The "Sweet But Psycho" singer calls Virginia Beach home". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
5. ^ a b c Daw, Stephen (August 20, 2019). "Ava Max Rips Her Emotions in Two on New Song 'Torn': Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019. "a disco-infused dance track"
6. ^ a b Aramesh, Waiss (August 24, 2019). "Best New Music This Week: Brockhampton, Vince Staples, Lana Del Rey, and More". Complex. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019. "the disco-tinged pop track"
7. ^ a b D'Souza, Shaad (August 26, 2019). "Watch Ava Max play "Torn" and "Sweet But Psycho" at the 2019 VMAs". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
8. ^ Hautman, Nicholas (September 17, 2020). "Ava Max Shows Promise on Anthem-Filled Debut Album 'Heaven & Hell': Review". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
9. ^ Hulton, Anna Sky (September 27, 2019). "Ava Max opens up about her song 'Torn' and dealing with bullies". Hits Radio. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
10. ^ Allaire, Christian (December 20, 2019). "The 34 Best Songs of 2019". Vogue. Archived from the original on November 4, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
11. ^ a b "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
12. ^ a b "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2021 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 14, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
13. ^ a b "Tipparade-lijst van week 40, 2019". Dutch Top 40. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
14. ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 12. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
15. ^ a b "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
16. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
17. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
18. ^ a b "Austrian single certifications – Ava Max – Torn" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
19. ^ a b "Brazilian single certifications – Ava Max – Torn" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
20. ^ a b "French single certifications – Ava Max – Torn" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
21. ^ a b "Italian single certifications – Ava Max – Torn" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
22. ^ a b "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Torn')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
23. ^ Daw, Stephen (August 27, 2019). "Ava Max Debuts Epic Comic Book-Themed Video For 'Torn': Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
24. ^ Wass, Mike (August 27, 2019). "Pow! Ava Max Rolls Out Superhero-Themed "Torn" Video". Idolator. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
25. ^ a b c Roth, Madeline (August 27, 2019). "Ava Max Breaks Down The Empowering Message Behind Her Superhero-Inspired 'Torn' Video". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
26. ^ a b Bergado, Gabe (September 13, 2019). "Ava Max on Going Back to Brunette and Becoming a Superhero for "Torn" Music Video". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
27. ^ Carrera, Martino (September 18, 2019). "Trussardi Debuts Customized Panda Car". WWD. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
28. ^ Landoni, Luca (September 18, 2019). "La canzone della pubblicità Fiat Panda Trussardi". radiomusik.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
29. ^ "Fiat Panda Trussardi, the new special series in the Ava Max video – Mondo Auto". UK 24 News. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
30. ^ "Ava Max - Torn [Official Music Video]". YouTube. August 27, 2019. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
31. ^ "2019 MTV VMAs". Beyond the Stage Magazine. September 2, 2019. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
32. ^ Roth, Madeline (August 26, 2019). "See All The Fiercest VMA Red Carpet Looks From Taylor, Normani, And More". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
33. ^ Lynch, Joe (November 3, 2019). "Ava Max Is 'Torn,' 'Sweet But Psycho' at 2019 MTV EMAs". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
34. ^ "Ava Max Has The Entire 02 Singing Along At Capital's Jingle Bell Ball 2019". Capital FM. December 7, 2019. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
35. ^ "Capital's Jingle Bell Ball With Seat Line-Up: Taylor Swift & Stormzy Are Playing The UK's Biggest Christmas Party". Capital FM. November 4, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
36. ^ a b "Torn – Single". Apple Music. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
37. ^ a b "Torn (KREAM Remix)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
38. ^ a b "Torn (Hook N Sling Remix)". Apple Music. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
39. ^ a b "Torn (Cirkut DJ Mix) - Single by Ava Max". Apple Music. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
40. ^ a b "Torn (Adryiano Remix) - Single by Ava Max". Apple Music. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
41. ^ "Torn (The Remixes) - Single by Ava Max". Retrieved May 10, 2021 - via Spotify.
42. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. September 2, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
43. ^ "Ava Max – Torn" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
44. ^ "Ava Max – Torn" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
45. ^ "Croatia ARC TOP 100". HRT. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
46. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 20. týden 2020 in the date selector. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
47. ^ "Ava Max Chart History (Euro Digital Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
48. ^ "Ava Max: Torn" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
49. ^ "Ava Max – Torn" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
50. ^ "Ava Max – Torn" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
51. ^ "Airplay Charts Deutschland Woche 47, 2019" [Airplay Charts Germany Week 47/2019]. Germancharts.de (in German). Hung Medien & MusicTrace on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
52. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
53. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
54. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
55. ^ "Ava Max – Torn". Top Digital Download. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
56. ^ "Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. September 21, 2019. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
57. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 2, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
58. ^ "Airplay 100 – 19 ianuarie 2020" (in Romanian). Kiss FM. Media Forest. January 19, 2020. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
59. ^ "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 16/11/2019" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. November 16, 2019. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
60. ^ "Ava Max – Torn". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
61. ^ "Najpopularniejsze albumy i single 2019 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
62. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2020". Mahasz. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
63. ^ Mompellio, Gabriel. "Ava Max 'Torn'" (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.

* v
* t
* e

Ava Max

* Discography
* Awards

Studio albums|

* Heaven & Hell (2020)
* Diamonds & Dancefloors (2023)
* Don't Click Play (2025)

Singles|

* "Sweet but Psycho"
* "So Am I"
* "Torn"
* "Tabú"
* "Salt"
* "Alone, Pt. II"
* "Kings & Queens"
* "Who's Laughing Now"
* "OMG What's Happening"
* "Christmas Without You"
* "My Head & My Heart"
* "EveryTime I Cry"
* "The Motto"
* "Maybe You're the Problem"
* "Million Dollar Baby"
* "Weapons"
* "Dancing's Done"
* "One of Us"
* "Ghost"
* "Car Keys (Ayla)"
* "Choose Your Fighter"
* "Whatever"
* "My Oh My"
* "Spot a Fake"
* "Forever Young"
* "1 Wish"
* "Lost Your Faith"
* "Lovin Myself"
* "Wet, Hot American Dream"

Promotional singles|

* "Blood, Sweat & Tears"
* "Freaking Me Out"
* "On Somebody"
* "Naked"

Featured singles|

* "Make Up"
* "Stop Crying Your Heart Out"
* "Brought the Heat Back" (Remix)
* "Baby It's Both" (Remix)

Category
*[Ref.]: Reference
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template