Mackenzie Ziegler

Early Life and Family Background

Mackenzie Frances Ziegler was born on June 4, 2004, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni and Kurt Ziegler. Her parents divorced when she was six years old, and her mother later remarried Greg Gisoni in 2013. Mackenzie has an older sister, Maddie Ziegler, who is also a renowned dancer and actress. Additionally, she has two older paternal half-brothers, Ryan and Tyler, and two older step-siblings, Matthew and Michelle. Mackenzie began dancing at the age of two at the Abby Lee Dance Company in Pittsburgh, where she trained in various dance styles and won numerous titles in dance competitions. ​

Rise to Fame: Dance Moms and Early Career

Mackenzie gained national recognition in 2011 when she appeared on Lifetime's reality dance series Dance Moms alongside her mother and sister. She was the youngest dancer on the show and was known for her exceptional talent in jazz dance and acrobatics. Mackenzie remained on the show for six seasons until 2016. During her time on Dance Moms, she also appeared on sister shows like Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition and Abby's Studio Rescue. 

Music Career and Collaborations

In 2014, Mackenzie launched her music career under the stage name "Mack Z" with the release of her debut album, Mack Z. The album peaked at number one on the iTunes pop charts, and its lead single, "Girl Party," garnered over 85 million views on YouTube. She continued to release music, including her second studio album, Phases, in 2018, which featured the single "Wonderful" written by Sia. In 2020, she collaborated with Sia on the song "Exhale." Mackenzie has also toured with singer Johnny Orlando in North America and Europe, and in 2024, she released her third album, Biting My Tongue, before joining Mark Ambor on his Rockwood tour. ​

Acting and Television Appearances

Beyond music, Mackenzie has pursued acting, starring as Cassie in the Brat TV high school drama series Total Eclipse from 2018 to 2020, where she also served as an executive producer. She appeared in the film Brat Holiday Spectacular (2018) and competed on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, reaching the finals. In 2018, she portrayed Dorothy in the holiday stage pantomime The Wonderful Winter of Oz in Pasadena, California. Mackenzie has also lent her voice to the animated film Ice Princess Lily (2019) and competed as "Tulip" on The Masked Dancer, finishing in third place. ​

Entrepreneurship and Authorship

In addition to her entertainment career, Mackenzie has ventured into entrepreneurship and writing. In 2018, she launched her own cosmetics line, "Love, Kenzie," and released a self-help book titled Kenzie's Rules for Life: How to be Happy, Healthy, and Dance to Your Own Beat, which offers inspirational advice for young readers. The book ranked No. 7 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list for juvenile non-fiction. ​

Social Media Influence and Philanthropy

Mackenzie has a significant social media presence, with over 14 million Instagram followers, 22 million TikTok followers, and 3 million YouTube subscribers as of February 2022. She uses her platforms to connect with fans and promote her projects. Alongside her sister Maddie, Mackenzie has participated in philanthropic efforts, such as the Birthday Mail campaign by DoSomething.org, which aims to provide birthday cards to children in homeless shelters.