For Amaya Espinal, life after the villa has been anything but quiet.
Before reality TV turned her into one of the most recognizable faces from Love Island USA Season 7, Amaya’s life looked completely different. The New York native was working as a registered nurse and living a relatively normal life — one that didn’t include brand deals, paparazzi moments, or millions of social media followers.
Fast-forward a year, and everything has shifted. But the biggest “pinch me” moment for Amaya isn’t the spotlight. It’s the impact her success has had on her family.
“There have been so many moments,” she says. “But being able to help my mom and say, ‘Ma, sit down. Don’t worry about it. I got it’ — that’s everything to me.”
“This never would have happened without my fans,” she adds. “My supporters really changed my life.”
The breakout star — affectionately known by fans as “Amaya Papaya” — captured hearts during her unforgettable run on the popular reality dating series, and now viewers are getting an unfiltered look at what happens when the cameras follow Islanders back into the real world in Love Island: Beyond the Villa.
The spinoff, which premiered with two episodes on Peacock on April 15, picks up after the whirlwind summer in Fiji, dropping the Islanders back into everyday life — only now they’re navigating fame, complicated relationships, and unfinished drama in front of millions of fans.
And if you ask Amaya, the version of her that viewers meet this season is very different from the one who first walked into the villa.
“There’s a lot of growth,” she tells Celeb Secrets in an exclusive interview. “So many things happened and so many things I learned about myself. That’s what life is about — discovering different layers of yourself and learning how to handle situations. You’re going to see all of that this season.”
While Love Island was about finding romance in a perfectly curated bubble, Beyond the Villa shows what happens when that bubble bursts. After spending weeks in the hyper-controlled environment of the villa in Fiji — where every date, challenge, and recoupling played out under the same sun-soaked roof — returning home meant confronting something far more unpredictable: real life. For the 26-year-old, that adjustment was bigger than fans might expect.
“One year you’re a nurse with less than 40,000 followers,” she tells Celeb Secrets. “The next you’re navigating millions of followers and stepping into a completely different world.”
That sudden shift is exactly what the new season of Love Island: Beyond the Villa captures: a change of careers, new friendships and pressure from social media attention. For Amaya, though, the cameras were rolling as she tried to process all of it in real time.
“It was the first time leaving the villa and stepping into this new life,” she explains. “The producers captured it perfectly from August — just navigating everything that came with it.”
Still, amid the chaos, Amaya says staying grounded has been her biggest priority.
“Thanks to my support system and my team — and thanks to God — I’m grounded,” she says.
But that doesn’t mean the journey has been easy. In fact, one of the things she’s most proud of this season is allowing fans to see the moments where things weren’t perfect.
“I think people are going to relate to me just being raw and vulnerable,” she says. “Life will come with storms — but what matters is how you dance during them.”
Amaya’s bold, vibrant personality also made her the ideal collaborator for Corona Sunbrew, which has teamed up with Love Island: Beyond the Villa for a campaign celebrating unexpected pairings.
And according to Amaya, the partnership couldn’t feel more natural.
“I’m always standing ten toes down on business,” she says. “Corona Sunbrew has this smooth, juicy flavor that turns any second into a main character moment, from chill days on the beach to crazy nights out with friends, and I know my ‘papayas’ are going to be sipping right along with me as the drama unfolds on ‘Beyond the Villa.’”
The citrus-forward cerveza, brewed with real orange and lime peels and a splash of real juice, brings a bright, refreshing flavor designed for the exact kind of moments that define the show: spontaneous hangouts, late-night conversations, and the kind of drama fans can’t stop talking about.
For Amaya, the drink embodies the same philosophy she brings to life and relationships.
“The more you care less about what people have to say in the outside world,” she explains, “the louder and brighter you’re going to shine.”
“Summer is coming up,” she continues with a laugh. “So Amaya Papaya for the music, summer trips, all that.”
The partnership also comes with a major perk for fans who want to experience the Love Island lifestyle for themselves. Through July 31, Corona Sunbrew is hosting the “Live Like an Islander Beyond the Villa” Sweepstakes, giving one lucky fan the chance to win a Los Angeles getaway curated by Amaya.
Fans 21 and older can text SUNBREW to 20102 to enter for a chance to win a three-day, two-night trip to Los Angeles that includes a stay at a Beyond the Villa filming location, a personal styling session and professional photoshoot, a luxury dinner experience and a meet-and-greet with Amaya herself.
“Since launching last summer, Corona Sunbrew has become beloved by Gen Z, who are looking for vibrant, inventive flavors that match their energy,” said Rob Nelson, vice president of brand marketing at Corona. “Corona Sunbrew was inspired by Gen Z and born from the belief that when great things come together, they unlock something entirely new and extraordinary. This partnership with ‘LOVE ISLAND: BEYOND THE VILLA’ and Amaya is the natural next chapter, bringing together the No. 1 beer innovation of 2025 with one of the top reality shows of 2025 to cement a place for Corona Sunbrew in culture.”
Between filming Love Island: Beyond the Villa, navigating her rapidly growing fanbase, and building new creative projects, Amaya says she’s only just getting started. In fact, fans may soon see her stepping into a completely new lane: music.
“I’m excited for the audience to see me navigate this whole music journey,” she says. “I know it’s going to open the door to more opinions and more people having something to say.”
But if there’s one thing Amaya has proven since entering the villa, it’s that she isn’t afraid to be exactly who she is — no matter who’s watching.
“That’s not going to take me away from following my dreams,” she adds. “If anything, it’s just going to make me go even harder.”
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Aside from her professional ventures, Amaya has been on a romantic, personal journey thanks to a new man in her life — and lately, the Internet has been working overtime trying to uncover his identity.
After her breakup with fellow Islander Bryan Arenales, whom she won the show with, Amaya quietly entered a new chapter of her dating life earlier this year. And while she hasn’t officially revealed her boyfriend’s identity, that hasn’t stopped fans from analyzing every clue.
In February, Amaya sparked speculation when she shared glimpses of a romantic Valentine’s Day celebration on Instagram Stories — including a surprise floral arrangement and a cozy spa date that revealed a glimpse of a tattooed arm belonging to her mystery partner. Soon after, fans noticed she attended New York Fashion Week, where she was photographed at the LaQuan Smith show alongside the same tattooed companion.
But despite the growing curiosity online, Amaya has made it clear she’s intentionally keeping this relationship off the grid.
“Not everyone trying to hunt down my man with his neck tattoo,” she joked in a now-deleted post, revealing that he doesn’t even have social media. “Spoiler — he doesn’t even have an IG. We don’t date influencers here. We date bosses.”
When Celeb Secrets asked how dating in the real world compares to villa romance, Amaya didn’t hesitate to point out the biggest difference: privacy.
“I’m very happy right now,” she says. “My current partner has nothing to do with the spotlight or Instagram life. He’s very low-key, very private — and that’s what I need.”
For someone whose life now unfolds both on television and online, that sense of normalcy has become invaluable.
And while she admits fans may catch glimpses of this new chapter during Love Island: Beyond the Villa, she’s determined to keep most of it just for herself.
New episodes of Love Island: Beyond the Villa air every Wednesday on Peacock.
Interview quotes have been edited and condensed for clarity.
