Maudy Ayunda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maudy Ayunda
Maudy Ayunda in 2023
Born	Ayunda Faza Maudya (1994-12-19) 19 December 1994 (age 30) Jakarta, Indonesia
Nationality	Indonesia
Alma mater	University of Oxford (BA) Stanford University (MA) (MBA)
Occupation	Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Entrepreneur, Author
Years active	2005–present
Organization	Mod Media Collective, Maudy Ayunda Foundation, From This Island
Title	Co-founder and CEO of From This Island
Spouse(s)	Jesse Choi ​ (m. 2022)​
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Labels	Trinity Optima Production
Associated acts	David Choi Iwan Fals Dewi Lestari

Ayunda Faza Maudya, known to many as Maudy Ayunda (born December 19, 1994), is a talented Indonesian actress, singer, songwriter, business owner, and author. She is famous in Indonesia for her amazing storytelling skills and many talents. Maudy is well-known in both the entertainment world and the education field.

Maudy started her career in movies with "Untuk Rena" in 2005. After becoming a popular child actress, she gained more fame for her main roles in films like "Perahu Kertas" (2022), "Refrain" (2013), and "Habibie & Ainun 3" (2019). These roles earned her praise from critics and many fans.

Besides acting, Maudy is also a big name in music. She released her first album, "Panggil Aku…", in 2011. It included the hit song "Tiba-tiba Cinta Datang". With three studio albums and many movie songs, Maudy is returning to music with her fourth album, Pada Suatu Hari, released in 2024. This new album is a big step for her, bringing fresh and real ideas to her music.

Maudy is also known for supporting different social causes, especially education and helping young people. She has worked on projects that help more people get an education and create positive change in Indonesia. This shows her dedication to both entertainment and social work.

Her work has won her many awards. She was even named one of Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30. She also received nominations at the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI) and the Anugerah Music Indonesia (AMI). With her special mix of art and intelligence, Maudy Ayunda continues to inspire many people.

Early Life and Education

Maudy Ayunda was born Ayunda Faza Maudya on December 19, 1994, in Jakarta, Indonesia. She is the oldest daughter of Didit Jasmedi R. Irawan and Muren Murdjoko. Her younger sister, Amanda Khairunnisa, is also a well-known influencer and has acted in several films.

From a young age, Maudy loved books and learning. She started reading at age 3. Her first word was "Kompas," which was the name of a newspaper at that time. As a shy child, she often read quietly during family gatherings. In an interview, Maudy said that education was her safe place. She felt it was a space completely her own, where she could be proud of her successes and learn from her failures.

Maudy went to Al-Azhar school until second grade. Then she moved to Mentari Intercultural School. She found this change difficult because she was the only student in her class who did not speak English. She remembered the headmaster telling her and her mother that she might have to repeat a grade. But Maudy quickly improved her English. She successfully finished junior high school at Mentari. After that, she went to high school at the British School Jakarta, where she also became the head of the student council.

After finishing high school in 2011, she took a year off, even though she was accepted to Columbia University. The next year, Maudy started her university studies. She earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford. She graduated with high honors. In 2019, she was accepted into two very famous universities: Harvard and Stanford. She chose Stanford, where she earned two master's degrees: one in education (MA) and one in business administration (MBA).

Career Journey

2005-2010: Starting Out

Maudy Ayunda began her acting career as a child. Her first movie was Untuk Rena in 2005. She starred alongside the famous Indonesian actor, Surya Saputra. She was discovered at school by Miles Productions and was chosen for the main role of Rena. For this first role, Maudy was nominated for the MTV Indonesia Movie Awards in 2006. She also won Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Jakarta Film Festival.

At just 11 years old, Maudy not only started acting but also published her first book. It was called A Forest of Fables and had 17 short stories about forest animals. The money from the book was given to help victims of the 2004 Aceh tsunami. This was her first known charity work.

In 2009, Maudy worked with Miles Films again. She played Zakiah Nurmala in Sang Pemimpi. This movie was a sequel to the Indonesian hit, Laskar Pelangi. It was directed by Riri Riza. This time, Maudy not only acted but also sang a song for the movie's soundtrack called Mengejar Mimpi.

In the same year, Maudy also showed her modeling skills. She became a finalist in a competition for a famous Indonesian magazine, GADIS.

2011-2014: First Album and Growing Fame

Maudy Ayunda in her music video, "Loveable"

After her successful start in movies, Maudy Ayunda began singing. In 2011, she released her first music album, Panggil Aku…. It had 10 songs, including her first self-written song, Tetap Bersama, and the pop hit, Tiba-tiba Cinta Datang. This song became very popular and was used as the opening theme for a teenage TV show in 2014.

While pursuing music, Maudy also continued her acting career. She starred in Rumah Tanpa Jendela, a musical film. She also appeared in Tendangan Dari Langit, a sports movie. The next year, Maudy worked with Surya Saputra again in Malaikat Tanpa Sayap. In this film, she played Mura, who was the love interest of Vino, played by Adipati Dolken. This role earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Bandung Film Festival.

Soon after, Maudy and Adipati acted together again in the movie Perahu Kertas. This film was based on a best-selling novel by Dee (Dewi Lestari). Maudy played the memorable role of Kugy. She also sang the original soundtrack song, Perahu Kertas, which was also written by Dewi Lestari. This song made her a rising star in music. She was nominated for Best Newcomer and Best Original Soundtrack at the 2013 Indonesian Music Awards. Maudy was also nominated for Best Female Artist and Best Indonesian Song at the 2013 Planet Muzik Awards in Singapore for "Perahu Kertas".

In 2013, Maudy released a mini album called My Hidden Collection on her YouTube channel. It had four English songs, all written by her. In January 2014, she sang a duet with Korean-American singer David Choi called By My Side. This song was later included in her 2014 album. It was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration at the 2015 Indonesian Music Awards.

2015–2017: Moments and Global Reach

Maudy Ayunda performing in 2017

On April 1, 2015, Maudy released her second studio album, Moments. The album was very successful, selling over 200,000 copies. It earned a Multi-Platinum certification. It was also nominated for Best Pop Album and Best Album at the 2015 Anugerah Musik Indonesia. Along with the album, she released three singles: "Cinta Datang Terlambat", "Bayangkan Rasakan" and "Untuk Apa".

In the same year, Maudy appeared in 2014: Siapa di Atas Presiden, an action film. She also lent her voice to the animated movie Battle of Surabaya. She released another song she wrote herself, Jakarta Ramai. She was nominated for Social Media Icon at the 2015 Anugerah Planet Muzik. Additionally, she won Female Singer of the Year at the 2015 Indonesian Choice Awards.

While finishing her last year at Oxford in 2016, Maudy successfully released the single Sekali Lagi. She was also chosen to sing the official Indonesian version of "How Far I’ll Go" from Disney's animated film Moana.

In 2017, Maudy starred as a travel blogger named Trinity in the film Trinity, The Nekad Traveler. She also sang a song for the movie's soundtrack, Satu Bintang di Langit Kelam. That year, Maudy also released the singles Kejar Mimpi and Kutunggu Kabarmu.

2018–2020: Oxygen and New Ventures

In 2018, Maudy Ayunda released her third studio album, Oxygen. The album was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 2018 Anugerah Musik Indonesia (AMI) awards. Maudy herself was nominated for Best Pop Female Artist for her song “Aku Sedang Mencintaimu”. She was also nominated for Best Collaborative Production Work for her song “We Don’t (Still Water)” with Teddy Adhitya. Maudy also sang the theme song “Song of Victory” for the 2018 Asian Para Games with other musicians.

Maudy also entered the world of publishing. She released “Dear Tomorrow: Notes to My Future Self,” a book about her thoughts on being real, dreams, career, love, and mindsets. The book was a big success, selling over 27,000 copies.

After her self-help book did well, Maudy published two bilingual children's books in 2019. They were called "Kina's Story - Kina and Her Fluffy Bunny" and "Kina's Story: Kina Makes a New Friend." Maudy first wrote these stories when she was 10 years old.

In that same year, Maudy was chosen to play Hasri Ainun Habibie in the "Habibie Ainun 3" movie. She also sang the soundtrack song “Kamu & Kenangan,” written by Melly Goeslaw. The song was nominated for several awards. Maudy was also nominated for her role as Ainun at the 2020 Bandung Film Festival.

In 2020, Maudy decided to get her master's degree in the United States. To mark this journey, she released a song called “Goodbye”. In the same year, Maudy was included in Forbes Indonesia's 30 Under 30 list.

2021–2022: Losmen Bu Broto and The Hidden Tapes: Vol. 1

When she returned to Indonesia, Maudy Ayunda was cast in Losmen Bu Broto, playing Jeng Sri. She also wrote and sang the soundtrack, working with Danilla Riyadi. The movie was released in 2021. It led to several nominations for Maudy, including her first Piala Citra nominations at the 2022 Indonesia Film Festival (FFI). She was nominated for Best Supporting Female Character and Best Theme Song Creator for “Semakin Jauh”.

Besides films, Maudy also released her mini album The Hidden Tapes: Vol 1 in 2021. She prepared this album while at Stanford University. Maudy wanted to create honest and true work. The mini album has three songs, each telling different stories about women who accept, face, and empower themselves.

The first song “Don’t Know Why” was released in July 2021. It explores feelings of numbness in relationships. The second song “Not for Us,” released in August 2021, is about realizing that some relationships cannot last forever. The final song “Heartless” was released in October 2021. It talks about women's strength and their ability to write their own stories.

Maudy also worked with Dee Lestari on a song called “Awal Mula”. This song is the soundtrack for Dee Lestari's novel "Rapijali".

Maudy Ayunda as Spokesperson for Indonesia's G20 Presidency in 2022

In 2021, Maudy was recognized and included in Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list for Entertainment and Sports.

Beyond her creative work, Maudy is also dedicated to her advocacy. In 2022, she was chosen as the Spokesperson for the G20 Indonesia Presidency. This decision aimed to have more Indonesian young people represented on global stages. During the presidency, Maudy took part in discussions about education, women, youth empowerment, and sustainable development. This showed how important young people's voices are in making decisions.

In 2022, Maudy grew her online presence. She connected with more people through her personal YouTube channel. She shares both fun and educational content. Maudy uses this channel to build a community and encourage open talks among her viewers. The channel has different shows like Booklist (book reviews), Ayunda's thoughts (discussions on important topics), Buka Kartu (a fun Q&A), and vlogs (glimpses of her daily life).

2023–Present: From This Island and Pada Suatu Hari

In 2023, Maudy Ayunda brought back her Mentorship & Scholarship Program. She started this program in 2018 as part of her foundation. It aims to help young Indonesians and create a group of passionate people who can make a big difference for Indonesia. With 32 people in the program, Maudy held workshops on topics like Mindset for Success, Strategic Storytelling, Building Mental Resilience, and Productivity Tools. She also offered scholarships for tuition and projects to selected mentees.

Maudy Ayunda launched her skincare brand in 2023

Maudy ended the year by launching her business: From This Island. This company makes personal care products using special ingredients from Indonesia's islands. With a special patented technology called LUMERA, Maudy and her partner Patricia Davina want to create skincare that works well and is safe. They also want to bring Indonesia's name to the global stage.

While working on education and social impact, Maudy continues to create new art and partner with famous brands. 2024 is a big year for Maudy's music career with her 4th studio album, “Pada Suatu Hari”. This album marks Maudy's big return to music. It also shows a change in her musical view. She now sees music not just as entertainment but as a strong way to tell stories and comment on society.

In May 2024, Maudy released a song called “Cahaya”. It was a surprise wedding anniversary gift for her husband, Jesse Choi. The song talks about the complex nature of love and the beauty of falling in love. It uses rich images and symbols to tell the story. Fans and the public loved the song, and they are excited for Maudy's return to music.

Three months later, in August 2024, Maudy released her second song, “Hari Itu”. This fun and catchy song is about the innocence and wonder of childhood. It was inspired by Maudy's own school days. The song mentions memorable school moments like the first day, first heartbreak, and friendships. It captures the sweet and sad feelings of looking back. The song became very popular, especially among college students starting their new school chapter.

In November 2024, Maudy released her third and final song from the album, "Puisi Kota". It is a duet with the legendary Indonesian singer, Iwan Fals. Maudy Ayunda composed “Puisi Kota” herself. It explores the challenges of self-discovery, social pressures, and finding meaning in a busy world.

Besides music, Maudy is also returning to the film industry. She has a new role as Laksmi in “Para Perasuk,” a supernatural drama coming out in 2025. Maudy is also taking on a new role as a Producer for the biopic of “Ki Hadjar Dewantara.” This will be her first film as a producer. Directed by Gina S. Noer, the movie will explore the life of Indonesia's Father of Education. The movie is set to be released in 2026.

Personal Life

Maudy Ayunda married Jesse Choi, a Korean-American business owner and investor, in May 2022. She met Choi while studying for her master's degree at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Jesse has been living in Indonesia since late 2021.

Activism and Social Work

Besides her entertainment career, Maudy Ayunda also cares deeply about social, political, and economic issues in Indonesia. She especially focuses on those that affect young people. In 2012, Maudy became the youngest speaker at a global economic and democracy forum in Nusa Dua, Bali. This international event was attended by former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. It focused on how to achieve development goals and plan for the future. At the forum, Maudy spoke about how economic growth can help fight poverty in Indonesia.

In 2015, she joined the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, during his visit to Jakarta. Cameron's visit aimed to make the relationship between the UK and Indonesia stronger, focusing on trade, investment, and education. Maudy, who was studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the University of Oxford at the time, was recognized for her activism. She was given the chance to guide the Prime Minister during this event. As a young Indonesian representative, she accompanied the Prime Minister through various activities. These ranged from serious talks about Indonesia’s extremist movement to taking a selfie while enjoying delicious banana fritters.

Maudy is involved in the fight against modern slavery. This includes forced labor, forced marriage, and dangerous work. In March 2017, she was named a spokesperson against modern slavery at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Through her work, she tries to teach her audience about the realities of modern slavery. She uses social media to spread this important message.

Discography

Studio Albums

Soundtrack Album Contributions

Singles

Filmography

Film

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Maudy Ayunda para niños