Hey guys, what's going on? I'm Brandi Chang for Young Hollywood, hanging out with Max.

Yes, yes.

At his rehearsals. So how did you get started? What's your journey like?

I uh you know, I grew up in New York City in Hell's Kitchen and uh I saw a bunch of musicals as a kid. I uh I I got home from my first musical when I was, you know, four years old. I saw Beauty and the Beast and I reenacted the whole show for my family on my living room table in my underwear and I was, you know, super excited about it. And uh and I kept doing that. Every time we'd see a show, I'd do the same thing. I'd reenact it. And then my parents uh they realized that, you know, I really enjoyed this. So besides playing like soccer and doing sports and stuff, I started doing, you know, a show here, a show there, a bunch of different musicals. And then I started writing my own music and dancing and stuff like that. And and just sort of we were living in Upstate New York at that time. We moved up to Woodstock, New York. And so kept making bigger and bigger circles. And then finally when it was time to go back to high school, I was like, I think I want to do this forever. I want to I want to do this as a career. So we moved back to New York and and I went to a performing art school in the city and and my first gig was this show 13 on Broadway when I was 16. And Ariana Grande was in it with me and Liz Gillies and it was a crazy cast. And and uh that was sort of my first gig and then, you know, I just started doing stuff from there pretty much.

Is it cool to see some of your peers now just doing amazing. I mean, you're doing amazing things as well, but it's kind of cool, you know, when you're brought up with a really cool group of artists and you're watching everybody else's success and you're kind of learning from each other?

Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. Oh, it's amazing. When you I mean, especially when they're great people and and you see that they're, you know, doing what they love and it's just doing what they've always done but on a bigger scale and more people coming out to shows. That's that's my favorite thing. I love seeing that, you know, I always tell the story, he's not like a he's not a good friend or anything, but, you know, I saw I've been an Ed Sheeran fan for a long time and I remember I was with a couple homies of mine, we went out to see him open for Snow Patrol a while back. So we were leaving and we saw him outside. We go over to him and he was like, hey, what's up guys? And we're like, yeah, we're a good fan, we you know, big fans and stuff. And I think he was stoked that like guys his age were fans and stuff, which was nice. And uh and we're talking and he's like, oh, you guys want to come out to the bar with us later and stuff like that? And I was like, I mean, we're all too young, you know, but he's like, oh man, I just turned 21 last year, I totally understand. But it was really awesome to see that this guy who, you know, was just such a cool guy and an incredible musician has like literally since then is the biggest thing in the world. And just to know that he's still that same guy, it's it's really wonderful to see someone still be humble and awesome.

So how do you get hyped up before your shows?

Uh Coffee? Yeah, I like coffee. I mean, I drink a lot of tea and and stuff like that. Uh just eat a lot. Usually lots of food, you know, whatever it is. Maybe some, you know, chimichurros. I don't know why I said that, but there's probably going to be chimichurros. Yeah. Um and uh yeah, I love I love just, you know, I I definitely like in in a super boring way I stretch a lot and like make sure I'm getting to that age where I'm like, I headbang too much on stage, I get off the next day and my back hurts, and I'm like, snap, this sucks. But uh it's it's always a good time when I when I when I feel when you you you're you're properly prepared. Uh but really I just have Ryan to give me back massages and, you know, rub my feet and stuff, and I'm ready to go for the show, so it's a good time.

That's how you audition your bandmates.

Yeah, like, okay, let's like test out who's better. Yeah. Yeah. If they play well, it's good. Yeah. Now, it's more about them massage, but yeah.

Play pots and pans in the background.

Yeah. Exactly. But that's all you really need, right? Yeah. I'm like, oh, you play guitar, you sing? That's cool, but like let me get that foot massage though. Let me see what that's like. Oh, cool, you're hired. Yeah. He basically torments my life. It's it's nice. Like I'm like, yo, I'm really hungry. He's like, I'll find you some food. Or whatever it is, yeah.

You guys are spending a lot of time together, right? Right now.

We spend like every day together, which is which is great. And Dana now, too, you know, he he also gives a great uh a great finger hand massage while uh Ryan's on my feet and stuff. So Yeah. That's really nice.

You're not a diva or anything?

Definitely not. Oh, me? No way. No, no. We No, that's it's just essentials. That's just what you need.

What's what's your biggest diva request?

Actually, the real diva request is that I don't drink hot coffee. I only drink iced coffee. Okay. That's my only thing.

That's not too bad.

And it's like especially on the road, like there's some bad coffee out there. And like I can handle it when it's iced, but if it's hot, I ain't drinking that. Um, that's really my only diva request. Otherwise, I'm I feel like I'm not too diva diva-oriented besides, you know, the massages and and all that good stuff.

And keeping fit on tour? You guys work out and stuff, too?

Yeah. Yeah. We do. Uh, I mean, depending on where we're at, I like to call them parking lot workouts. Sometimes, you know, if you're in a Walmart parking lot, you might see that there's a nice little place for all the carts. And you can do dips on that, you do pull-ups, push-ups, all those things.

Very nice. You guys are resourceful.

A lot of push-ups in bathrooms, things like that. You just got to figure it out. Maybe the shower head, you want to pull on that. Or just use Ryan's arm. Like he just goes like this, I'm just like, yes. The height is perfect. You know, it just sits right there for me. It's great.

I want to ask you, really, this is for all the girls at home that, you know, are watching this. How can a girl catch your eye during the show? During the show. Cuz I was that girl that like I would sit in the crowd and I'd be like trying to get, you know, the guy's attention. But then you go home and you're like, oh yeah, he totally looked at me. Totally. You know.

Honestly, when somebody is just like letting loose and not giving an F, it's awesome. Like I definitely notice those people in the crowd, guys or girls. But especially girls, cuz it's it's awesome. Like I hate when somebody thinks it's too cool. Like, hey, girl, and any guy, but any any girl that's definitely a turnoff for me when someone like acts like they're above it all. When someone's super real and they're gorgeous, it's crazy. I'm like, oh my gosh, like who is this? So that's that's definitely a big thing for me. Just someone being themselves and having a good time at the show. So just have a good time at the show, baby.