Magda Giannikou was born in Athens in 1981. She graduated from the National Conservatory and she also studied at the Filippos Nakas Conservatory. She continued her studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated in 2008.

In 2011 she formed her world music ensemble/collective Banda Magda, a band that moves from samba to French chanson and Greek folk tune. She has collaborated with many internationally famous artists and groups such as the Kronos Quartet and Snarky Puppy.