Amara La Negra started on reality television and has taken over media headlines in what seems like an overnight rise to fame.
The beautiful 27-year-old is being talked about constantly, but some are still confused who she is or what she’s done to garner her rapidly growing reputation.
Amara started off on Love and Hip-Hop Miami as an emerging star, repping her home country of the Dominican Republic. By November, she was named Billboard’s new ‘Artist on the Rise.’
Still, there isn’t too much known about Amara yet. Here are some facts about the rising Latina sensation.
She identifies as Afro-Latina
This is so, so important.
Though she wears her Dominican heritage proudly, Amara is still facing backlash regarding her ethnicity.
Anyone watching her can’t deny her fiercely sensual and exotic look. Within the past year, she has been opening up and discussing the struggles of dealing with ignorant people who don’t understand that she is as much Black as she is Latina.
She was even slammed with accusations of wearing blackface and has even been told by a trap producer to look, “A little more Beyoncé. A little less Macy Gray.”
https://twitter.com/DippedInMakeup/status/948295505871884289
In a season 1 premier of Love and Hip-Hop Miami, La Negra opens up about the pressures of the entertainment industry.
“If you don’t look a certain type of way, it’s almost impossible to be taken seriously.”
The good news is that she has taken these negativities and turned them into positive resistance by discussing the issue and becoming the current face of Afro-centric acceptance in the Latin community.
This is a growing theme in media today, with Latin celebrities such as Cardi B getting massive exposure and helping bridge the gap between issues on Latino race relations.
Her best friend is her mother
Nah… Seriously though. When I say her best friend is mother, I mean it. She takes her mother everywhere. To meetings, to trips, even to… dates?
Her mother came to the United States over 20 years ago in hopes of providing her daughter a better life.
Since then, she has stuck by her daughter’s side no matter what she’s doing, and provided her with the necessary guidance to progress her career.
She’s mentioned before that her mother is her everything and her entire career is centered around making her mother proud.
She won her first award as a child
Upon recently being called out for having fake dark skin, she gave her haters a big “Fuck You” by posting a video of her walking on stage as a child at a beauty pageant.
Along with being accused of blackface, she was also told she’d been getting melanin shots to keep her color.
“It’s funny that I even have to go through this and show you baby pictures or videos to prove to blogs and people on social media that my skin color is not airbrushed or spray tanned nor do I take melanin shots to be black! This shit is hilarious.”
She landed a multi-album record deal
Right now, she’s focused on her singing career, releasing hit after hit such as the playful “AYY” from 2012 and her latest hit, “Se Que Soy”.
She recently got a deal with Fast Life Entertainment Worldwide and BMG. She told Billboard about her career:
“I’m still in shock! At times, I am caught pinching myself because there is a part of me that still is in awe of being signed to a franchise that will heighten my success. It is a feeling of a different level of hunger because I have prayed for this so much that it feels unreal!”
Amara has been working hard to land where she is now, especially since she doesn’t fit the typical “look” of other top music celebrities today. Thankfully, with her team behind her back, she was able to snag a deal with a record company,
“I am humbly honored to have a team that continues to believe in me. Having a pioneer in the music arena like Zach seeing the potential in my musical craft and talent. I am thankful for my team at Fast Life Ent. Worldwide and BMG for this opportunity as an artist. And I cannot wait for my fans to hear my new music.”
In an interview with US Weekly, she discusses how conflicting it is to work in the music industry.
“I’ve had people judge me so many times based off my looks and not off my talent, and I try to be mellow and try to see their points of view and have them understand my point of view. It wasn’t surprising.”
She then goes on to say that the Latin community also “has that mentality,” as does the entertainment industry.
Fortunately, none of these issues have hindered Amara’s climb to the top. As she continues to grow, I’m excited to see the different avenues she’ll take throughout her career. This Latina is a feisty, natural-born star.
Rooting for you, Amara!