After bursting onto the scene as a bombshell, America quickly fell in love with Amaya Espinal on Love Island USA. The Dominican sweetheart, AKA “Amaya Papaya,” is full of “gratituilly,” wears her heart on her sleeve, and has already delivered countless viral moments.
While Amaya’s early days on Love Island USA Season 7 got off to bit of a rocky start after her initial couplings with Ace Greene and Austin Shepard, she’s now had two Casa Amor bombshells pining after her heart and she’s been all smiles with Zak Srakaew.
Meanwhile, viewers at home can’t get enough of Amaya’s hilarious one-liners and sweet moments on screen. And from her own heartbreak to feeling for her fellow Islanders, Amaya has shed plenty of tears this season. As she put it in a confessional, “I love to call myself a a sensitive gangster, so here I am crying again.”
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Amaya Espinal wears a sparkly pink set on Love Island USA Episode 722.
Read on to learn all about Love Island USA’s Amaya Papaya, including where she’s from, her viral song that got love from a famous pop star, and more.
Where is Amaya from Love Island USA from?
Amaya is 25 years old and shared on Love Island USA that she was “born and raised” in New York City. She’s also proud of her Dominican heritage.
“Both of my parents were actually born in the Dominican Republic and I’m the first generation to be born here,” Amaya told Austin. “I’m heavy, heavy on culture. Even when I have my kids, let’s say my husband isn’t Dominican, they’re still going to know Spanish, they’re still going to know the culture.”
Outside of the villa, Amaya is a nurse, as she’s posted about on TikTok.
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She’s affectionately known as Amaya Papaya on Love Island USA
Amaya Espinal wears a green and yellow bikini on Love Island USA Episode 714.
Not only has Amaya come up with plenty of off-the-cuff nicknames for her fellow Islanders — like “Jeremiah on fire!” and “Austin Boston” — but she’s also gotten her own, “Amaya Papaya.”
Host Ariana Madix even said her nickname during the girls’ first day at Casa Amor. “Alright, Amaya Papaya, let’s see what you got!” Ariana said in Episode 19 just before Amaya threw a dart at a wall of balloons.
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Amaya Papaya’s impromptu songs on Love Island USA are viral sensations
Amaya’s solo singing sessions in the villa’s makeup room have quickly become reality TV anthems for Love Island USA fans. In one little ditty alone in front of the mirror, Amaya sang, “I never said that I was perfect. I never said I didn’t have any flaws. But at least I’m pretty and at least I’m a little funny. And at least I’m my own best friend.”
The moment quickly went viral, with one fan writing on Reddit, “Amaya Papaya doesn’t even know she has the song of the summer.” Another added, “I CANNOT stop singing this around my apartment. Making breakfast? ‘I never said I was perfect!’ Tidying up? ‘I never said I didn’t have any flaws!’”
Amaya’s song even got love from Lizzo in a video on TikTok. “Tell Amaya Papaya we love her,” Lizzo captioned the video.
Known as “this is who tf i am” by Amaya Papaya on TikTok, the song has been featured in nearly 22,000 videos.
While most of the Islanders are completely unaware how viral Amaya’s song has gone, Hannah Fields and Jeremiah Brown got to watch a clip of the moment after their shocking eliminations. “She is hilarious,” Jeremiah told Entertainment Tonight, while Hannah added, “She is a bundle of joy, she’s so unintentionally funny.”
Amaya once again, alone in the makeup room, served up another delightful song as she got ready after returning to the villa from Casa Amor. “It’s an amazing day. I’m back home and I’m here to stay. Ain’t nobody gonna take me away,” she sang in her pajamas before grunting into a cartwheel.
How to watch new episodes of Love Island USA
Keep up with Amaya Papaya in the villa when episodes of Love Island USA Season 7 drop daily, except on Wednesdays, at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock. New episodes of Love Island Aftersun are available to stream on Saturdays.
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