Kiddo A.I. has quietly become a go-to creative force behind some of today’s most talked-about songs — collaborating with global stars like Selena Gomez, JENNIE, LISA, Tyla, and Le Sserafim.
Born Amanda Ibanez, the Miami-raised artist grew up in a music-loving home — where watching American Idol as a family was a weekly tradition. “Adam Lambert was the one who made me believe I could do this,” she says.
“I’d sing in front of the TV and get teased by my brothers,” she laughs, “but my mom was always my biggest cheerleader”
Encouraged by her mother, Kiddo got involved in a local church youth group where she began writing and performing music. She started independently releasing songs as a teenager, slowly building her career one step at a time. “It’s been a really slow climb,” she admits — but everything changed when she met hitmaker JKash (known for his work with Charlie Puth and Morgan Wallen). Through that connection, she was introduced to Los Angeles’ vibrant songwriting community and even crossed paths with legendary producer Max Martin.
Her breakthrough came when she worked with Selena Gomez on the remix of Rema’s viral hit Calm Down. “I grew up watching Selena on Wizards of Waverly Place, so working with her was such a full-circle moment,” she says. That experience made her realize how much she loved songwriting for other artists. “It’s less invasive,” she says with a grin.
Since then, Kiddo has co-written several fan-favorite tracks — including contributions to Gomez and Benny Blanco’s joint album I Said I Love You First, as well as Crazy by Le Sserafim, and Back to You by Tyla.
One of her proudest songwriting moments came while working on a track that now stands out on I Said I Love You First. “We were just jamming — Benny or Michael Pollack was playing the keys — and suddenly this hook melody came to life,” she says. “Someone said ‘Sunset Blvd,’ and Benny and Selena were like, ‘Wait — that’s where we had our first date.’ The song basically wrote itself in about an hour.”
Kiddo has also made waves in the K-pop world, co-writing for BLACKPINK’s JENNIE on her solo debut album Ruby. “That was such a crazy day,” she recalls. “We were at Diplo’s house in Malibu. I was super nervous — it was my first time working with Diplo and Tayla Parx, and I’m such a fan of both.” After a few ideas didn’t click, inspiration struck. “Tayla and I were like, ‘We need something bold and in-your-face. This is JENNIE, right? Let’s call it “like JENNIE.”’ And she freaked out — she loved it.”
Her magic didn’t stop there. Kiddo also contributed to LISA’s solo debut Alter Ego. Collaborating with Ali Tamposi and John Byron, the trio came up with a hook even before the session officially began. “Ali had the title ready, and we worked through a few concepts. I had to head out of town, so Ali finished the song with LISA — and it turned out incredible.”
With her ability to capture raw emotion and pair it with unforgettable melodies, Kiddo A.I. is clearly a force shaping the next generation of pop and K-pop hits — and she’s only just getting started.
