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Born Mayra Veronica Aruca Rodriguez on August 20 in Havana, Cuba, Mayras family moved to the U.S. when she was six years old and they settled in one of Miami, Floridas Cuban communities. It was actually something of a culture shock when she moved to New York City after college. Suddenly, I was considered Latin, she says, When I just always considered myselfAmerican.

Mayra studied ballet for 16 years in all, taking a break when adolescence took over and she grew voluptuous, she laughs now. She also won various honors in a number of beauty pageants, including second runner-up as Miss Miami and Miss Hispanic America. When it became clear that a career in dance was not to be, Mayra turned to acting, but not before graduating from Florida International University with a major in psychology and a minor in business, applying those skills later as her entertainment career blossomed.

Traveling back and forth from the Big Apple to home in Florida, Mayra studied at the famed Strassberg Institute for acting, earned roles in stage plays, and was also signed as a spokesmodel for the giant Univision television network. At home in Florida, she became a host for the Miami television entertainment magazine, Miami Hoy, writing, producing and editing her own segments as she interviewed a roster of celebrities, ranging form Donald Trump and Hugh Hefner to Burt Reynolds, Tim Allen and Marc Anthony. Mayra also starred in featured roles in PBS productions, independent films such as Tumbe, and appeared in nationwide Spanish language ads for a wide array of companies including Loreal, Ford, Colgate, Burger King, Coca Cola, and Allstate. She then landed the role on Univisions Don Francisco Presenta, in which viewers embraced nationwide, making Mayra one of their top female personalities (Mayra is also the ..1 most downloaded female personality on the Univision website).

Five years ago, Mayra decided to develop her longtime passion for music with vocal lessons. As with the voice and diction shed studied years earlier, she became an adept, serious student. Although Mayra hopes to become a songwriter someday, she believes that, as with all other areas of her career, its a craft she must master and while shes written poetry for years, shes knows songwriting is a skill to develop. I will ultimately bring it out, and would rather work first with people who know what theyre doing, she humbly says.

The launching of Mayras music career continues the stunning rise of this self-made star, whos been named the sexiest woman on Latin television, and is both proud, and yet cautious, when it comes to her role as a sex symbol. Being raised with Catholic background, even though my father was musician, being sexy was not something you wanted to grow up and be, she says, Still, its something I couldnt deny being because it is who I am I was acting sexy at the age of six when I was singing into the mirror in my room, so its something very ingrained.

Mayra has also taken what she learned from acting and applied it to her performances in the studio and on-stage. Its my favorite thing to do, bringing the music to life, she says. I enjoy the work in the studio, but also love an audience.