Her father is of Quechua–Huachipaeri background from Peru, while her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is an American human rights activist of Swiss German origin.

As a member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the soprano soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti.

At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii with Laurance Paxton.

When she was six, her mother booked her at venues as a featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K (Kahaiali'i) among others.

Kilcher started to sing and dance for tourist donations, busking on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

She was 12 when she received a full scholarship to the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and songwriting.

At age 15, Kilcher portrayed Pocahontas in the Academy Award-nominated motion picture The New World (2005), directed by Terrence Malick.

[2] The film was a critical success, receiving several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide.

In 2011, Kilcher played Tiger Lily in Neverland, a version of the Peter Pan story that aired on the Syfy Channel.

In 2012, Kilcher starred in Firelight alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and played the role of Caroline Magabo, a young Latina inmate who finds a new lease on life by becoming a volunteer firefighter along with other female juvenile delinquents.

[14] Kilcher will produce and star in the upcoming film Yesteryear alongside Scott Haze, Wes Studi and Nick Cassavetes.

Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges and universities, she has been a featured keynote speaker for organizations such as Amnesty International, the International Forum on Globalization,[16] Amazon Watch IFIP[17] and the United Nations panel discussions titled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

[26] The song aims at raising awareness of climate change, with all proceeds benefiting Friends of the Earth U.S. and the UN Foundation.

In May 2022, Kilcher was charged with alleged workers' compensation fraud after an investigation found that she had filmed scenes for the television series Yellowstone before receiving $96,838 in disability benefits.