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Camila Cabello attends the "Rob Peace" Premiere during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Center Theatre on January 22, 2024 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)© Dia Dipasupil

Camila Cabello's real name: The reason she used a different name when she moved to the United States

Camila talked about writing one of her first songs in fourth grade.


Daniel Neira
Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
OCTOBER 18, 2024 2:46 PM EDT

Camila Cabello is looking back at her time in school after she moved to the United States from Cuba. The singer shared her experience and revealed the reason why she was known by a different name, despite always using 'Camila' around her family.

The musician talked to Canal 555 about her experience growing up in the U.S. "You are Camila but before you were Karla," the interviewer said before showing her yearbook photos. "That's right, that's my first name. Karla Cabello."

Camila Cabello attends the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Gala at The Beverly Hills Hotel © Emma McIntyre
Camila Cabello attends the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Gala at The Beverly Hills Hotel

"Oh my gosh, look at my hair when it was healthy and strong," she said, referring to her recent blonde hair transformation. "Yup, that is Karla Cabello," she began to explain. "Because when we came to the United States. That is my first name Karla, and I was too shy to say that I prefer my middle name, which is Camila."

"That's why all my friends from school call me Karla," she said, adding that she never felt truly identified with 'Karla.' "Because my family always called me Camila," the singer said. Reminiscing on her time in middle school, Camila said that she had a lot of confidence. 

Camila Cabello's real name © Canal 555

"I remember I kept thinking I just looked so pretty, which I did look so pretty, but it's just so funny because I just felt like Megan Fox in these pictures," she said to the publication. During the interview, Camila revealed that she was passionate about music from a very young age, and wrote one of her first songs in fourth grade. 

Camila Cabello attends The 2024 Met Gala © Dimitrios Kambouris
Camila Cabello attends The 2024 Met Gala

Camila was asked about an unreleased song titled 'Only Told The Moon' that continues to be popular in her fandom. "That song was leaked and I didn't even put it out, it was when I was in the group, Fifth Harmony," she said. "It's a really pretty song, is when you love someone but you don't want to admit it to yourself. I was 17 years old."