Ava Max

Amanda Koci, known professionally as Ava Max, was born on February 16, 1994, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents, Paul and Andrea, were Albanian immigrants who fled their home country in 1991. They often struggled financially, with both parents working multiple jobs without English proficiency. Her mother, a classically trained opera singer, and her father, a pianist, fostered an early exposure to music. Max grew up primarily in Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she participated in various singing competitions. She began releasing music under the moniker Amanda Kay, including an extended play in 2008. At age 13, she adopted Ava as her first name, finding it more reflective of her identity. After several attempts to pursue a music career in Los Angeles, she moved to South Carolina, where she attended Lexington High School for a year after being homeschooled. She later returned to Los Angeles at 17, facing challenges in securing music opportunities and enduring financial hardship before a pivotal encounter.

Ava Max’s career began to take shape after meeting producer Cirkut in 2014. Despite facing rejection and sexual harassment in the industry, their collaboration led to the SoundCloud release of “Anyone but You” in July 2016. This track garnered attention from record labels, culminating in her signing with Atlantic Records later that year. The period from 2016 to 2017 saw her develop her signature ‘Max Cut’ hairstyle, a distinct asymmetric platinum blonde bob that became a core part of her visual identity. Her breakthrough came with the release of “Sweet but Psycho” in August 2018, a song that quickly ascended to number one in 22 countries and reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. This success was followed by additional singles like “So Am I” in 2019 and “Kings & Queens” in 2020, solidifying her position in mainstream pop.

Her debut studio album, “Heaven & Hell”, released in September 2020, reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number 27 on the US Billboard 200. This period also included collaborations with artists like David Guetta and Alan Walker, expanding her global reach. In 2022, Max began teasing her second album, “Diamonds & Dancefloors,” which was released in January 2023. This album featured singles such as “Maybe You’re the Problem” and “Million Dollar Baby.” She embarked on her first headlining tour, ‘On Tour (Finally),’ in 2023, performing across Europe and North America. In February 2025, she released “Lost Your Faith,” the lead single from her third studio album, “Don’t Click Play,” which was released in August 2025, continuing her evolution as an artist.