If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or listening to top-40 radio over the last few years, you’ve definitely heard that soaring, high-energy chorus. It’s hard to miss. Ava Max basically bottled lightning with "Kings & Queens," and honestly, it’s one of those tracks that just doesn’t seem to go away. But why? Is it just the catchy synth-pop beat, or is there something deeper in the lirik Kings and Queens that keeps people hitting repeat?
Most pop songs are disposable. You hear them for a month and then they vanish into the digital ether. This one is different. It’s an anthem.
When "Kings & Queens" dropped as the lead single from her debut album Heaven & Hell, it wasn't just another dance track. It was a calculated, brilliant reimagining of a classic rock melody—specifically Bon Jovi’s "You Give Love a Bad Name" and Bonnie Tyler’s "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Woman)." That familiar chord progression, written largely by the legendary Desmond Child, acts like a psychological hook. You feel like you already know the song the first time you hear it.
What the Lyrics are Actually Saying
Let's look at the heart of the song. It isn’t just about royalty or wearing crowns. It’s about a power shift. The opening lines set the stage: "If all of the kings had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast." It’s a simple "what if" scenario.
Ava Max isn't just singing about being a "queen" in the sense of being pampered. She’s talking about governance, leadership, and the idea that the world would be a significantly more functional—and perhaps more fun—place if women were the ones calling the shots.
Some critics argue it’s "girl power" fluff. I disagree. There’s a specific line that carries a lot of weight: "Disobey me, then baby, it's off with your head." It’s a playful nod to Alice in Wonderland, sure, but it’s also about setting boundaries. In a world where female artists are often expected to be "approachable" or "sweet," Ava Max leans into the assertive, almost dangerous side of the archetype.
The Desmond Child Connection
You can't talk about the lirik Kings and Queens without talking about the songwriting team. This wasn't a solo effort. You had Henry Walter (Cirkut), Madison Love, MNEK, and several others in the room. But the inclusion of Desmond Child in the credits is the "secret sauce."
Child is the guy who helped define the sound of the 80s. By interpolating his previous work, the song bridges a massive generational gap. Your mom probably likes this song because it reminds her of Bon Jovi. You like it because it sounds like a modern club banger. That is how you dominate the charts in 2026. It’s nostalgia wrapped in neon.
A Masterclass in Verse Structure
The verses are short. Punchy.
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"She's the night, she's the star, she's the fire in the dark." Notice the rhythm there? It’s staccato. It builds tension. By the time you hit the pre-chorus, you’re practically begging for the release of the main hook. This is pop songwriting 101, but executed with surgical precision.
The bridge takes a different turn. "In chess, the king can move one space at a time / But queens are free to go wherever they like." This is arguably the most famous part of the lyrics. It uses a literal game of chess as a metaphor for social mobility and power. It’s clever because it’s true. In chess, the Queen is objectively the most powerful piece on the board. The King is the most vulnerable. It’s a subtle dig at traditional patriarchy wrapped in a catchy rhyme.
Why the "Lirik Kings and Queens" Went Viral on Social Media
TikTok changed everything for this song.
Creators didn't just dance to it; they used the lyrics to highlight "boss" moments. Whether it was a makeup transformation or a video about a woman succeeding in a male-dominated field, the song became the soundtrack for female excellence.
Interestingly, the song has a massive international footprint. In places like Indonesia, searches for lirik Kings and Queens spiked because the message is universal. Empowerment doesn't need a translator. The imagery of "queens on the throne" resonates whether you’re in Los Angeles or Jakarta.
The song also avoids the "man-hating" trap that some empowerment anthems fall into. It’s not saying "Kings are bad." It’s saying "The world works better when the Queen is also on the throne." It’s about partnership and shared power, even if it’s delivered with a wink and a bit of "off with your head" sass.
Technical Brilliance and the "Earworm" Factor
There is a science to why this song stays in your head.
The production by Cirkut—who also worked on hits for Katy Perry and The Weeknd—is incredibly "bright." The frequencies are pushed to the front. The vocals are layered so heavily that it sounds like a choir of Avas is singing to you.
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Then there’s the guitar solo.
In a world where pop music has largely moved away from live instruments, "Kings & Queens" features a legitimate, shredding guitar solo. It’s a throwback to the hair metal era. It gives the song a grit that most synth-pop lacks. It makes the lyrics feel "heavier" and more anthemic.
Common Misconceptions About the Lyrics
A lot of people think the song is just about partying because of the "champagne" line.
That’s a surface-level take.
If you look at the second verse—"No damsel in distress, don't need to save me"—Ava is directly subverting the classic Disney princess trope. She’s rejecting the "Save Me" narrative that has dominated pop culture for centuries. She isn't waiting for a prince. She’s busy running the kingdom.
Another misconception is that the song is purely original. As mentioned, it's a "re-composition." Some people call this "unoriginal," but in the music industry, we call it "interpolation." It’s a legal and creative way to honor the past while building something new. It’s why the song feels so sturdy. It’s built on a foundation of hits that have already proven they can survive for 40 years.
The Cultural Legacy of the "Queen" Persona
Ava Max has spent much of her career leaning into this duality. Her signature haircut—the "Max Cut"—one side long, one side short, represents the "Heaven and Hell" theme. "Kings & Queens" fits perfectly into the "Heaven" side of that coin. It’s the aspirational, light-filled version of her persona.
The song helped cement her as a mainstay in pop, proving she wasn't just a "Sweet but Psycho" one-hit-wonder. It gave her a brand. Now, when people think of Ava Max, they think of these big, theatrical, empowerment anthems.
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What You Can Learn from the Lyrics
If you’re a songwriter or a content creator, there’s a lot to learn here.
First, use metaphors that everyone understands. Everyone knows how chess works. Everyone knows what a throne represents. You don't need to be overly "artsy" to be deep.
Second, don't be afraid to borrow from the greats. Ava Max and her team didn't try to reinvent the wheel; they just put new tires on a Ferrari and drove it really fast.
Third, stand for something. The reason the lirik Kings and Queens resonated is that it has a clear point of view. It’s not just a song about "feeling good." It’s a song about power.
Actionable Next Steps
To truly appreciate the nuance of the track, you should try a few things.
First, go back and listen to "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi immediately followed by "Kings & Queens." You’ll hear the DNA of the melody. It’s a fascinating exercise in how music evolves.
Second, if you’re trying to learn the lirik Kings and Queens for a cover or just to sing along, pay attention to the breathing. Ava Max uses very long melodic runs in the chorus. If you’re singing this at karaoke, you’re going to need a lot of lung capacity.
Finally, look at the official music video. The visual storytelling—Ava sitting at a banquet table with a literal falcon on her arm—reinforces the "Queen" imagery. It shows that pop music is a multi-sensory experience. The lyrics tell you the story, the melody makes you feel it, and the visuals show you the world she’s building.
The song is a reminder that in the world of pop, you don't have to choose between being catchy and being meaningful. You can be both. You can have a song that makes people dance in a club while also making them think about gender dynamics and historical power structures. That’s the real magic of Ava Max.