Ava Max

Ava Max, born Amanda Ana Koçi on February 16, 1994, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an American pop singer of Albanian descent. She belongs to a wave of pop stars with Balkan roots — alongside Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, and Rita Ora — who rose to global prominence in the late 2010s. Her sound blends electropop production with anthemic, empowerment-driven lyrics, and her bold visual style and vocal power have drawn frequent comparisons to Lady Gaga.

After an early feature on Le Youth's «Clap Your Hands» in 2017, Max broke through worldwide with «Sweet but Psycho» in 2018, a chart-topping single that reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. She followed it with further hits such as «Kings & Queens» and «My Head & My Heart», cementing her run of singles as some of the defining pop songs of the era.

Her debut album, Heaven & Hell, gathered these hits together and charted internationally. She continued expanding her collaborations in the years after, including the dance hit «The Motto» with Tiësto. Songs like «So Am I» and «Torn» further reflect her recurring themes of self-acceptance and resilience, delivered through instantly memorable pop hooks.