Amaya Love Island: Age, Biography, Instagram & Season 7 Journey

Amaya from Love Island USA is Amaya Elizabeth Espinal, a New York City native, registered nurse, and reality television personality who won Season 7 alongside Bryan Arenales in July 2025. Known as “Amaya Papaya,” she became a fan favorite for her expressive personality, emotional honesty, and memorable romantic journey.

The Amaya Love Island story drew widespread attention as viewers watched her navigate difficult relationships before she connected with Bryan. Although their romance ended after the show, Amaya continued building her public career through social media and television appearances.

Born on November 9, 1999, she is 26 years old as of October 2026. Here’s everything to know about her background, nursing career, Instagram account, relationships, and life after the villa.

Who Is Amaya From Love Island USA?

Amaya Espinal is an American reality television personality of Dominican descent who appeared on Love Island USA Season 7. She entered the villa as a bombshell contestant in Episode 4, joining after the original Islanders had begun forming romantic connections.

Her direct communication style and affectionate personality quickly made her recognizable. While some contestants struggled with her emotional openness, many viewers appreciated her willingness to express what she wanted in a relationship.

Before appearing on television, Amaya worked in healthcare as a cardiac registered nurse. Her background helped distinguish her from contestants already working primarily in entertainment.

Amaya Love Island Biography and Quick Facts

These details provide a quick introduction, but Amaya’s popularity largely came from her experiences inside the villa and the way she handled challenging romantic situations.

Amaya Love Island Age and Birthday

Amaya Espinal was born on November 9, 1999, making her 26 years old as of October 22, 2026. She was 25 when she competed on Love Island USA Season 7 in 2025.

She will celebrate her 27th birthday on November 9, 2026.

Her age is particularly interesting to viewers who want to understand her professional background. By the time she joined the dating show, she had already completed nursing school and gained experience working in healthcare.

Where Is Amaya Espinal From?

Amaya was born in New York City and grew up in the Bronx. She is a first-generation American with Dominican heritage, which forms an important part of her cultural identity.

Her background became especially relevant during her relationship with Bryan Arenales, whose family heritage includes Puerto Rican and Guatemalan roots.

Their shared Latino culture helped strengthen their connection and became part of their storyline as the relationship developed.

What Does Amaya From Love Island Do for a Living?

Before gaining television recognition, Amaya worked as a registered nurse specializing in cardiac care.

She graduated from Long Island University with a nursing degree in 2021 and obtained her nursing license later that year. She subsequently worked in a hospital’s cardiac unit, caring for patients experiencing heart-related medical conditions.

Her healthcare experience attracted attention because viewers discovered she had an established professional career before becoming a reality television personality.

Following her Season 7 victory, she expanded into entertainment, social media content, and public appearances. However, her current employment status in nursing has not been clearly established through recent public information.

Amaya Love Island Season 7 Journey

Amaya’s journey during Season 7 featured several romantic disappointments before she eventually found a stronger connection with Bryan Arenales.

Early Connections With Ace, Austin, and Zak

After entering the villa, Amaya initially formed a connection with Ace Greene. Their relationship encountered difficulties as differences emerged in how they expressed affection and approached communication.

She later explored a relationship with Austin Shepard, but their connection did not develop into a lasting partnership.

During Casa Amor, Amaya connected with Zak Srakaew. That relationship also experienced disagreements, particularly over emotional attention and expectations.

Despite these setbacks, she remained open about her desire for a meaningful romantic relationship.

How Amaya and Bryan Arenales Became a Couple

Bryan Arenales entered the villa during Casa Amor. His relationship with Amaya developed later, after he showed her support during a challenging moment involving other contestants.

Their conversations gradually became more personal, and Amaya began feeling more comfortable expressing affection toward him.

By Episode 30, they had officially coupled up. Their romance became one of the season’s defining late-stage relationships, ultimately taking both contestants to the finale.

Did Amaya Win Love Island USA Season 7?

Yes. Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales won Love Island USA Season 7 on July 13, 2025.

The couple received the highest share of the public vote and won the show’s $100,000 grand prize. Bryan received the prize money and chose to split it equally with Amaya, giving each contestant $50,000.

Their victory was particularly significant because they became the first Latino couple to win Love Island USA.

Why Did Amaya Become a Fan Favorite?

The Amaya Love Island popularity surge was closely connected to her personality and emotional journey.

Her playful nickname, “Amaya Papaya,” became a memorable part of her television identity. She frequently expressed her feelings openly, even when doing so created uncomfortable conversations.

A particularly important moment occurred when Bryan supported her during a villa challenge. His response helped viewers see a different side of their growing relationship.

Her eventual victory also gave the season a satisfying conclusion for supporters who had watched her experience repeated romantic setbacks.

Amaya Love Island Instagram and Social Media

Fans searching for the Amaya Love Island Instagram account can find her under the username @amayaelizabeth_.

Her Instagram presence features lifestyle content, public appearances, personal updates, and entertainment-related activities.

Amaya also maintains a public presence on TikTok, where she shares personality-driven videos, beauty-related content, and everyday moments.

Her television success helped introduce her to a much larger audience, turning social media into an important part of her public career.

Are Amaya and Bryan Still Together?

No. Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales announced their breakup on August 27, 2025, approximately six weeks after winning Love Island USA.

Amaya explained that their individual goals and paths were moving in different directions. Their separation marked the end of a relationship that had attracted considerable attention during the season.

By early 2026, Amaya had publicly confirmed that she was in a new relationship. During interviews in April, she explained that she preferred keeping her boyfriend’s identity private rather than making their romance part of her television storyline.

She also appeared in Season 2 of Love Island: Beyond the Villa, which followed former Islanders after their original season.

Conclusion

The Amaya Love Island journey introduced audiences to Amaya Espinal, a New York-born registered nurse whose personality and perseverance helped her win Season 7 alongside Bryan Arenales.

Although their relationship ended after filming, her television career continued beyond the original series. Fans interested in her current activities can follow her public social media accounts for updates about her professional projects and personal life.

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