Amaya Espinal charmed her way into viewers’ hearts on “Love Island USA,” all while staying true to herself and being, as she famously put it, her own best friend.
After Amaya and her partner, Bryan Arenales, were voted the Season 7 winners during the July 13 finale, she said through tears, “This is a message to everyone out there who’s misunderstood. Nobody should ever be tamed.”
Her speech capped off a journey through the “Love Island USA” villa that had its highs and lows.
“Usually back at home, if I feel misunderstood or feel like I don’t want to be around certain people, I could easily block them or walk away,” Amaya tells TODAY.com. “But in the villa, you’re forced to have to stay with them.”
Amaya entered the villa in Episode 4 and off the bat had some tiffs with other islanders. A notable one early on was with Ace Greene, with whom she was coupled and took issue with her casual use of endearments like “babe.”
Meanwhile, viewers grew endeared by Amaya; she shared candid confessionals, embraced her emotions (often by calling herself a “sensitive gangster”), referred to herself in the third person (with the adorable nickname “Amaya Papaya”) and dropped plenty of one-liners that make for equal parts meme and life motivation.
At Casa Amor, she went on to find a connection with someone — but little did she know her true Prince Charming was also right there.
Amaya and Bryan started out as friends in Casa. It wasn’t until Episode 26’s explosive “Stand on Business” challenge that Amaya said she started to catch feelings.
During the challenge, islanders left anonymous notes to each other. One Amaya received said that she cried too much and moved too fast in relationships. As she started to tear up, she was quick to defend herself: “People can express themselves the way that I can express myself, so I’m tired of people viewing that as a negative instead of a power move.”
Ace interrupted, again bringing up her use of “babe.” That’s when Bryan joined the conversation.
“Coming from a Hispanic household, calling someone ‘babe,’ ‘mi amor,’ ‘mi vida,’ that’s just how we talk,” Bryan said in the episode. “You’re telling her to meet you halfway — you got to meet her halfway, too.”
The rest was history. After Amaya “got her smooches” — in which Bryan memorably complimented her muumuu — they coupled up in Episode 30. From there, they spent a night in the private Hideaway, tag-teamed parenting a baby doll, met each other’s families and eventually, on their first and final date in Fiji, went exclusive.
“I feel like I’m a Dominican Cinderella when I’m with you, and I finally found my perfect glass slipper,” she said during the finale.
Below TODAY.com caught up with Amaya and Bryan shortly after they left Fiji to chat about their viral moments, their love story and what’s next.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Bryan, you said in your speech to Amaya you were two misunderstood people who understand each other. Was there a specific moment or conversation where you realized Amaya really gets you?
Bryan: I think just right from our conversations, they flowed so nice, and just especially on the “Stand on Business” challenge, I’ve instantly seen how misunderstood she was, and I can relate. I felt like I grew up misunderstood in the outside world, and that definitely caught my attention. And once we started talking, I feel like we understood each other right away.
Amaya, in the “Stand on Business” challenge, you said that is where you saw Bryan in a new light when he stepped up for you. But before that, you defended yourself. How did you get to this point of being so proud of your vulnerability?
Amaya: I definitely would have to say that my parents played a huge part in that. My father always told me that a strong, confident woman would always intimidate or scare the cowards.
So I knew that it was just more of, like, projection on a lot of people’s part. And instead of just viewing sadness as a weakness, it’s a strength, and we are all blessed to have these emotions. And your girl’s an emotional girl, a sensitive gangster.
Bryan, what was going through your head when you saw Amaya in the “Stand on Business” challenge? What motivated you to speak up there?
Amaya: To be honest, how well she defended herself. That was great to see. But I also saw three people kind of giving her a bad rep for stuff that I see are pearls, because I definitely want a woman that has those things, so I felt like I needed to speak up. They they said something about her calling people “mi amor” and “babe” and stuff like that, and that’s just how Hispanic people talk. I just felt like them saying something, I had to stand up and say something.
Amaya, viewers also got to see moments where you were singing to yourself, hyping yourself up. Have you always done that, and what are the benefits?
Amaya: Oh, my God, I’ve been telling Bryan all day, literally, I am my own best friend. I love to talk to myself, and that’s just me just having that good relationship within yourself.
And I would have to say that the power of the tongue is very powerful. And that’s me doing positive affirmations. So there’s a really huge, positive impact on doing that. You should be your own best friend no matter what.
Do you have a go-to affirmation? Like when you’re having a bad day, for example.
Amaya: I would definitely say: I’m a butterfly that likes to be in the sky no matter if there’s rain.
Bryan: I love it.
In the finale, Bryan, you asked Amaya to be exclusive. Amaya as an NYC girl, how do you feel about Boston?
Amaya: Hi, Boston! They’re definitely going to be seeing me, because I have to visit my boo. I’m waiting for that truffle pasta.
How did you both react to getting your phones back?
Bryan: Right when we got our phones back, we were like, “We’ve got to call family.”
Amaya: It feels very surreal. But to see the love and to see our supporters, our extended family, it’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing to just feel validated and reassured.
Bryan: You’ve got to be grateful for it all. Obviously there’s ups and downs, but that’s why we’ve got each other, support each other, get through everything together.
Amaya, what is your secret to crafting these metaphors and affirmations?
Amaya: To be honest, I let my intrusive thoughts win all the time. Like I really don’t think before I speak. That’s my creativity skill. Like, I’m not the best drawer, but I could definitely just say things.
Bryan: Her creativity is something different.
Amaya, what’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Amaya: I definitely would say to be your own best friend, and that you should just always talk positivity into your life.
You came into the world by yourself, you’re leaving the world with yourself, so just literally enjoying your own presence.
Your energy in the villa, people on the show called it your “zoomies.” Have you always done that?
Amaya: (Laughs) I literally was always on good energy, high energy. I jog back home, so I wasn’t able to jog in the villa besides my zoomies. So at least I was getting my steps in while doing that, right?
Did you have the Amaya Papaya nickname before the villa?
Amaya: No. Amaya Papaya, that really started in the villa. Like one person just said it, and it became a waterfall. Everybody started saying it. And I’m like, you know what? I like papayas, anyway, so why not?
I ate a papaya a couple of days ago, and I was like, I usually don’t eat my kids. I swear.
Fans have called you both Brymaya. Do you have a nickname for each other?
Amaya: I call him Bry Bry.
Bryan: I call her mi amor.
Thinking about your journey as a whole, is there a song that comes to mind?
Amaya: Something definitely (by) Bad Bunny.
Bryan: Yeah, it’s a Bad Bunny song, for sure. The culture.
Bryan, you quoted Bad Bunny at the end of your speech right?
Bryan: I was thinking on how I can end it, and what better way to end it than a quote from the legend, right?
Your love story was captured on camera. With social media, what’s your approach to potentially sharing your relationship on social media and with the public?
Bryan: We started on camera, and we’ll probably keep showing stuff, but obviously we want to protect us as well, so we’re definitely going to keep some stuff private.
Like she said, we just got our phones back, and we want to check on family and really spend time with each other without a mic or a camera in front of us. We’re getting back to everybody and getting back to all the supporters that we’re super grateful for. Just enjoying our time right now.
“Love Island USA” streams on Peacock, which is part of TODAY’s parent company, NBCUniversal.
