Revisit MD Discovery: Emo Pop Artist AViVA and Her “HATE 2 LUV U”

LA-based, Australia-born AViVA’s path to fame isn’t one you stumble upon every day, but speaks to the changing definition of what it is to be an “artist.” She’s grown to a career fit with four studio albums, but began as a YouTuber and made a stop along the way to branch out as a YA dystopian fiction author. Here’s everything you need to know about AViVA and her album HATE 2 LUV U.

The Early Career of the Australian Multi-Hyphenate

Relocating to LA from Australia in 2019 to pursue a career in music wholeheartedly, AViVA didn’t waste any time tackling that endeavor full-time once she arrived. 2020’s VOLUME I marked her debut studio album, followed by two more each successive year: VOLUME II in 2021 and BROKEN HEARTS in 2022. Keeping that pattern constant, she announced her fourth full-length earlier last year. Titled HATE 2 LUV U, AViVA’s latest shows off once again why she’s such a unique, dynamic artist.

Throughout the course of those projects, the singer herself has been relatively constant, at least in her on-mic persona. It’s a sweet, bubblegum pop kind of delivery, but the production underneath is anything but. On earlier career material like “GRRRLS” or “TWISTED,” it’s not out of the ordinary to hear certain horrorcore staples show up, with SFX and synth work creating an eerie undertone that makes her work stand out. On the latter specifically, AViVA showed off a willingness to experiment even within her vocal bounds, with the faux-innocent tonality she adopts for that release calling to mind one of her biggest inspirations in Twenty One Pilots.

AViVA’s HATE 2 LUV U Again Displays A Diverse Mosaic of Influences

Which, at last, brings us to AViVA’s HATE 2 LUV U. The title track is a perfect elucidation of the genre crossover that she now resides in four albums deep. Quiet and contemplative during its verse sections, AViVA’s vocal delivery there can be mistaken for PinkPantheress, until the explosive and fully charged hook section hits, where you can clearly trace back influences like Paramore and Avril Lavigne.

“Forgive and Forget” later in the tracklist goes in the complete opposite direction, resulting in a self-affirmation-laden anthem that leans heavily into the motto from which it takes its name. More than some of her earlier stuff, which focused on conceptual narratives, HATE 2 LUV U meets AViVA at ground level, tackling everyday themes and touching on how she chooses to lead her life. Tracks like “Wasteland,” “Weirdo” and “About Me” are proof of just that, and are highlights of the project musically as well.

As stated earlier, AViVA’s interests and projects are extremely wide-ranging, so it’s hard to get a full breadth of what she puts her energy into without checking it out for yourself. Head to her official website for links to all of her creative endeavors, and as always, you can find HATE 2 LUV U wherever you get your music.