Ava Della Pietra gets the last word on “2 can play”
09 July 2025
Marco Gandolfi
There’s something about watching a former theater kid break bad—in the best way. Ava Della Pietra, who first turned heads as a young performer in the original Broadway cast of School of Rock, has spent the past few years reinventing herself as a pop songwriter. And with “2 can play,” she’s finally thrown out the sheet music and grabbed the mic.
This song isn’t about precision—it’s about instinct. From the opening couplet (“God how I loathe you…”) Ava makes it clear she’s not here to be poetic. She’s here to get even. There’s a kind of thrill in hearing her lean into that emotional chaos, especially coming off of the hushed nostalgia of “Moon Over Capri.” That song had her looking back. This one? She’s not looking anywhere but dead ahead.
What stands out most isn’t the subject matter (revenge, games, control)—it’s the restraint. Ava’s vocals never explode; she lets the lyrics do the damage. There’s a theatrical coolness to the delivery, like someone who knows they’ve already won. The chorus hits like a smirk: “I’ll fire then aim at you”—you can almost see the eyebrow raise.
And yes, the video is a whole other thing. It’s polished, but not overdone. Ava’s alter ego is styled like someone who’s watched a few too many Tarantino movies and decided to try on a little danger for size. It works. There’s humor beneath the sharpness. She’s not taking herself too seriously, but she’s still dead serious about the message.
“2 can play” might not be Ava’s most intricate or musically complex track, but it might be her most important. It marks the moment she stops trying to please anyone. And for someone who came up in an industry built on applause, that’s its own kind of rebellion.
