Everything you need to know about Camila Cabello
The singer has had some fantastic songs!
From Fifth Harmony to her solo career, Camila Cabello has had some huge hits since releasing her first single with the girl group 'Miss Movin On' in 2013. The singer, who performed at Glastonbury 2024, has gone on to become one of the hottest pop stars in the world!
Now with four solo albums under her belt, releasing 'C,XOXO' in June, she's not slowing down anytime soon, having just released 'godspeed'! But how much do you actually know about the singer? We have put together a guide on everything you need to know about Camila, from her rise to fame, her real name, awards - we have it all covered!
How old is Camila Cabello?
Camila was born on 3rd March 1997 to Sinuhe Estrabao and Alejandro Cabello, making the superstar 27-years-old at the time of writing. The singer moved to Miami, Florida when she was just seven-years-old, and began pursuing her music career when she was 15-years-old.
Where is she from?
Unsurprisingly, the ‘Havana’ singer was born in East Havana, Cuba and grew up in the town of Cojímar. Before moving to the US, the singer spent most of her early life moving between Havana and Mexico City.
What is Camila Cabello's real name?
Despite being known as Camila Cabello around the world, the pop star's real first name is Karla, with Camila being her middle name. Camila's full name is Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao.
Camila once took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain to her fans why she didn't use her first name. Talking about her epic music video for 'Havana', which has multiple 'Camilas', she said, 'Karla and Camila represent two parts of my personality, but Karla in the movie is who I really am and always have been 🤷🏻♀️🤓'. sic
How did Camila get famous?
Camila Cabello auditioned for the American version of The X Factor in 2012 and during the show, the 'Senorita' star joined up with fellow contestants Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane, and Lauren Jauregui to make Fifth Harmony, and the band finished in third place of the 2012 US series.
Simon Cowell, creator and judge on The X Factor US opened up about the first time he noticed Camila who was crying backstage. He explained to Extra: "When I was doing X Factor here, that she (Camila) wasn’t really supposed to audition and, you know, I happened to go backstage and I saw her crying, asked her why she was crying, and she said, you know, it was too late for her to audition because she was a reserve, whatever that meant.
"I said to her, ‘Well, I’m one of the producers, you just got an audition'."
Camila left the group in December 2016 and worked incredibly hard on her solo career. To date, she has enjoyed huge success with her solo hits 'Havana' and 'Never Be The Same' as well as incredible collaborations with other artists, including 'Bam Bam' with Ed Sheeran, and Hans Zimmer on a song for Frozen Planet II.
You can read up on her full career timeline here.
Camila and Fifth Harmony
Just one month after finishing The X Factor in third place, Fifth Harmony were signed to both Simon Cowell’s record label, Syco Music, and L.A. Reid's label, Epic Records. It was from there that we received big hits such as ‘Sledgehammer’, ‘Work From Home’ and ‘That’s My Girl’.
Her exit from the group
After the roaring success of Camila’s first solo side project ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, with Shawn Mendes in 2015, the star began to build her passion for a solo career. Tensions soon began to rise, with Camila claiming: "It became clear that it was not possible to do solo stuff and be in the group at the same time."
The pop-band ended on a somewhat sour note in December 2016, when the group announced that Camila was leaving via Twitter. Shortly after the newly-made quartet released their statement, Camila took to Twitter to say: ‘i was shocked to read the statement the fifth harmony account posted without my knowing.
'the girls were aware of my feelings through the long, much needed conversations that we had about the future that we had through the tour. as scary as it is to take the leap, i am excited and full of joy because i know that no matter what happens, i am following my heart. I hope to see you on my journey.’ (sic).
Speaking to Fault magazine, Camila said: "I think the scariest part about it is leaving a successful project to pursue a new dream with a path full of questions of self-discovery that only you can answer." While she felt grateful to be part of the group, she said expressing herself as an artist "became a necessity" and so she decided to leave.
To celebrate 10 years since Fifth Harmony were created, Camila shared a heartfelt post reflecting on her time on The X Factor US calling it a 'wild ride'.
Camila Cabello's Cinderella
Camila starred in Sony's live-action remake of the popular Disney film Cinderella, co-produced by James Corden. Not only does Camila star as the classic Disney princess, but she's was heavily involved in writing the music for the project.
Way back in April 2019, Sony teased fans by taking to their Twitter to share some snaps of Camila in a stunning ball gown, writing: 'Grab your glass slippers and ballgowns ✨.'
Camila worked on music for the film with her co-star, and musical theatre legend, Idina Menzel, who plays the Evil Stepmother.
The film was pushed back multiple times due to the pandemic, and after skipping cinemas, headed straight to Amazon Prime Video.
Check out all the details on Sony's Cinderella remake as well as who else stars in the film.
Is she dating Shawn Mendes?
Camila and Shawn were together for a number of years, even releasing some steamy collaborations together. Unfortunately, the pair released a joint statement in November 2021 to reveal they'd split.
You can see their full relationship timeline here!
Her most popular songs
The pop-star has graced us with hit songs such as ‘Señorita’, ‘Havana’ and ‘Liar’. She has also collaborated with some huge names, making some big tunes that have hit the charts, such as ‘Find U Again’ by Mark Ronson and ‘Know No Better’ by Major Lazer.
From her second album, which dropped in December 2019, we were gifted with huge tracks such as ‘Shameless’ and ‘Living Proof’. Her third album, which hit the Number 9 spot in the UK, provided huge tracks such as 'Familia', 'Celia' and 'Bam Bam'.
'Havana'
August 2017 saw the release of the hugely successful ‘Havana’, Camila’s second solo single featuring Young Thug. The song was the album’s lead single, and went onto reach Number 1 in many countries, including the UK and US.
The star performed the hit at several award shows, including the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. Her live performance of the hit was even nominated for a Grammy Award.
‘Señorita’ with Shawn Mendes
In 2019, the world was gifted with another collaboration between Camila and Shawn Mendes, as the pair graced us all with ‘Señorita’. The song featured on Shawn’s third album, and went on to also be featured on Camila’s ‘Romance’ album.
Ranking at Number 1 in the UK charts for six weeks, it has been reported that the hit was the third best-selling single of 2019 worldwide. The song was accompanied by a steamy music video featuring the two singers, which sent fans into a ShaMila frenzy!
'Liar' and 'Shameless'
In September 2019, Camila delighted her fans by releasing TWO brand new singles. The singer dropped 'Liar' and 'Shameless', which kick-started the singer's new era of music on her hugely anticipated second album 'Romance'.
Speaking about the new tracks, Camila said: "These songs are basically the story of my life the past couple years and the stories I’ve accumulated - I knew for a long time I wanted my album to be called Romance because these stories are about falling in love.
Camila Cabello's music collaborations
Camila has done a number of collaborations over the years. Her first solo collaboration was 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' with Shawn Mendes back in 2015, followed by 'Bad Things' with Machine Gun Kelly. She also worked with Shawn Mendes again in 2019 on 'Señorita, which was co-written by Charli XCX.
Since then, Camila has collaborated with many huge names! Check out some other artists she has collaborated with below:
'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and 'Señorita' with Shawn Mendes
While still a member of Fifth Harmony, Camila released the boppy tune 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' back in 2015 with the popular singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes. Later in 2019, the stars joined forces once more to release the sultry banger 'Señorita'. !
2020 also saw the pair release 'The Christmas Song', which raised money for Feeding America through The Shawn Mendes Foundation.
‘Bad Things’ - Machine Gun Kelly
A year on, Camila collaborated with Machine Gun Kelly on 'Bad Things' which hit the Top 20's in the UK Charts. The popular American rapper has also worked with big names such as Madison Love, Travis Barker and YUNGBLUD. The song was even nominated for Top Rap Collaboration at the Billboard awards in 2017!
‘Havana’ - Young Thug
And, of course, in 2017 we were graced with the sultry Number 1 hit that is 'Havana'. Camila joined forces with Young Thug to create this big tune, who has previously worked with huge names such as Post Malone, Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj. 'Havana' hit Number 1 in various countries, including the UK, with the live performance even getting nominated for a Grammy Award!
‘OMG’ - Quavo
Alongside the release of 'Havana', Camila released her track 'OMG' featuring Quavo. The singer-songwriter has worked with artists such as Justin Bieber, Liam Payne, DJ Khaled and Post Malone.
'Hey Ma’ - Pitbull and J Balvin
Camila hit us with another 2017 banger when she teamed up with Pitbull and J Balvin on 'Hey Ma'. The song features on the Fast and Furious 8 soundtrack and is even available in English and Spanish.
‘Know No Better’ - Major Lazer, Travis Scott and Quavo
Major Lazer are known for their popular electronic dance music, and this 2017 bop was no exception! The group rounded up the troops on this one, featuring vocals from Camila herself, along with Travis Scott and Quavo.
‘Sangria Wine’ - Pharrell Williams
Moving into 2018, Camila teamed up with the musical giant that is Pharrell Williams on 'Sangria Wine'. Pharrell has worked with some huge names in his time, including the likes of Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake and Ariana Grande.
‘Real Friends’ - Swae Lee
In 2018 Camila released a reimagined version of her song 'Real Friends' featuring Swae Lee. Swae is well known for his hit 'Roxanne', and being a fan of Camila's, he is keen to work with the singer again!
‘Beautiful’ - Bazzi
This collaboration hit was released in 2018, and certainly proved popular with fans hitting the UK Top 40! Bazzi is known for viral hits such as 'Mine' and has worked with artists such as 21 Savage and Lil Wayne.
‘Mi Persona Favorita’ - Alejandro Sanz
In 2019 Camila teamed up with Spanish musician Alejandro Sanz to bring us the melodic 'Mi Persona Favorita'. Alejandro has worked with other huge names such as Alicia Keys and Shakira! The gorgeous song went onto win a Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Song in 2019.
‘Find U Again’ with Mark Ronson
This iconic tune hit the airwaves in 2019 thanks to a killer collab between Mark Ronson and Camila. Mark is a huge name in music, collaborating with superstars such as Miley Cyrus, Bruno Mars, Lily Allen and, of course, Amy Winehouse. The song was huge, appearing in the UK Charts for over 10 weeks!
‘South of the Border’ - Ed Sheeran and Cardi B
They're some of the biggest names in the industry, so it's no surprise this one climbed it's way right up the UK Charts to Number 4, keeping its charts presence up for an impressing 23 weeks!
‘My Oh My’ - DaBaby
In 2019 Camila collaborated with American rapper DaBaby on 'My Oh My', which quickly climbed the charts. The rapper has worked with stars such as Quavo, Nicki Minaj and Ashanti. The tune hit the UK Top 20 and stayed in the charts for 13 weeks.
'Bam Bam' with Ed Sheeran
Camila announced in February 2022 that she was releasing a single with Ed Sheeran. The song, called 'Bam Bam' was released on 4th March, the day after Camila's birthday.
'Psychofreak' with Willow
Along with the release of her third solo album, 'Familia', Camila released the music video for her catchy song 'Psychofreak' with Willow.
The pair performed the song on Saturday Night Live on 9th April 2022.
‘Take Me Back Home’ with Hans Zimmer
This unlikely collaboration came about for Sir David Attenborough-narrated series Frozen Planet II. 'Take Me Back Home' was written and recorded by Camila and Hans, and sees Camila's lyrics paired with Hans' music.
'He Knows' with Lil Nas X
Featuring on her fourth studio album 'C,XOXO', Camila teamed up with 'Montero' icon Lil Nas X on the track 'He Knows'. The pair released the song as a single on 10th May 2024, over a month before the whole album dropped, which it served as the second single for.
Camila Cabello's awards
The 'Bam Bam' singer has gathered herself an impressive collection of awards during her music career. The singer welcomed over 10 awards for her hit single 'Havana', including Best Song and Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards, and it was clear the pop star wasn’t stopping there!
In 2018 Camila won a Billboard Music Award, a MTV Millennial Award, an MTV Video Music Award and after being nominated for a massive SIX MTV EMAs Awards, she took home four of them! Camila won Best Artist, and Best US Act, with her song 'Havana' getting Best Video, and Best Song.
She was also awarded with a special award from charity Save The Children, for whom she's been an ambassador since 2018. In September 2019, Camila was recognised for her continued effort by Save The Children as a leader, 'in shaping the future of philanthropy by speaking up on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable children.'
Camila Cabello's 'Familia'
Camila dropped her third solo album 'Familia' on 8th April 2022, and took to Instagram to share an emotional message with fans. She revealed why this album is so important to her and said: "This album means so much to me. The journey of making it completely changed - and not to be dramatic but - saved my life.
"I started this album at a really s----- mental health point and the process of making it and being vulnerable and being honest about my experiences, and leaning on other people changed my life. I'm so proud of it and I'm so happy that you guys get to hear it now."
Camila's fourth album
Camila has now released her fourth album called 'C, XOXO'. The album was released on 28th June 2024, and an extended edition called the 'Magic City' version was released on 6th September, featuring with a new song called 'godspeed', and three others.
Has Camila Cabello been on SNL?
The superstar performed 'Bam Bam' and 'Psychofreak' from her album 'Familia' on Saturday Night Live on 9th April 2022. Willow features on the track 'Psychofreak' and joined Camila to sing the song on the show.
Has she been on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke?
Yes, Camila Cabello has been on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke, in the episode she revealed her real reason for auditioning on The X Factor, and whether she's slid romantically into any DMs since becoming single - which she answered while taking a tense lie detector test.
Is she a judge on The Voice?
It was announced in May 2022 that Camila would be joining the American version of The Voice as a coach, for season 22. The coaching panel for the season was made up of Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Blake Shelton.
Camila appeared on the show as a part-time advisor and she previously took to TikTok to share posting a video of herself singing with the show's hosts.
Fans adored seeing the singer on their screens, with Camila cheering on her contestants on her Instagram page! Sharing a sweet snap of her and Morgan in November 2022, Camila wrote: 'You guys I’m so proud of Morgan and her performance tonight she is unbelievably talented 🫀🫀🫀 VOTE NOW TO GET HER THROUGH!!!' (sic)
Why are there different lyrics for 'Never Be The Same'?
Camila released 'Never Be The Same' at the beginning of 2018 and it was a Top 10 single in the UK, reaching Number 7. There are two versions of the song on her album 'Camila', they have slightly different lyrics to this song - one is the radio-friendly version, "Nicotine, rushing me, touching me," the other version substitutes some of the words for other drug names.
Does Camila Cabello speak Spanish?
She certainly does! The singer grew up speaking Spanish, and in fact did not speak any English at all when she moved to Miami at just seven-years-old. The superstar-to-be allegedly taught herself how to speak English through watching TV.
Camila has since shown off her multilingual talents in her music, and is even taught her former boyfriend Shawn Mendes how to speak Spanish!
Camila Cabello at the UEFA Champions League Opening Ceremony
Camila Cabello was announced as the headline act at the UEFA Champions League final Opening Ceremony on 28th May 2022. The performance kicked off the final between Liverpool and Real Madrid in Stage de France in Paris.
Camila performed a 5-minute medley of some of her biggest hits in a carnival-themed celebration. Speaking about the performance, she said: "I’m so excited to be taking to the stage at UEFA Champions League final in Paris this month! I intend on putting on a really special show, bringing together the spirit of my Latin heritage and a feeling of togetherness for sports and music fans all over the world – I can’t wait!".
As part of the announcement, Pepsi MAX shared a promo video showing Camila singing her hit tracks 'Havana' and 'Bam Bam', while changing costumes. It ends with her saying: "See you at the final".
What is her net worth?
Camila has had an extremely successful career, from Number 1 tracks, to clothing campaigns and even starring movie roles, it’s safe to say that the superstar is taking the world by storm. With that said, Celebrity Net Worth reports that in 2023, Camila’s net worth amounts to a whopping $18 million.
How can I find Camila Cabello on social media?
Camila is very active across social media, particularly X, formerly Twitter and Instagram. You can follow the 'Havana' singer on X, @camila_cabello, Instagram @camila_cabello and on Facebook.
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Camila Cabello's amazing career so far: A timeline
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Camila Cabello’s biggest collabs so far