DC ExtraTime: The Softer Side of Camila

BY DC CUEVA                     

> @DC408Dxtr / @DC408DxNow

This Rivals III Challenge season has already been as dramatic as you can get, and has just about reached its halfway point, and we are in that time where we should know who will be in this game for the long haul. Of course, there's still a lot left to be decided although more than half the original field are still in the running, including a few of the notable big-name veterans - one of them being the subject of not just this week's episode but also this dedicated edition of DC ExtraTime.

For Camila, she has had a stellar run to becoming one of The Challenge's biggest names. We first met this native Brazilian on a special Spring Break edition of the show in the spring of 2010 when she was a University of Nebraska student enjoying that vacation in Mexico. Ironically enough, that mini season had a moment where after she ate a hot pepper in the scorching sun, she collapsed to the sand and players had to call medics over to get immediate help while she was wincing in pain. Luckily, she was okay and after being part of the winning team formed by Challenge vet (and now podcast host) Susie Meister, the drama she provided that week was enough for producers to invite her to join the big show on Cutthroat later that year. Though she was in the same position as the AYTO kids are here of being relative outsiders in having not earned their way into the big leagues by being a past RW alum or a Fresh Meat partner, it has certainly paid off in the long run.

   In Prague, she left her mark both competitively (a deep run as a rookie) and in the house where her outspoken manner drew the attention of the girls including Theresa. That argument with her got them paired up on Rivals I, where they both got into words with Jonna & Jasmine, and saw Jazzy KO a mirror. Of course, there was that famous tirade she had on Battle of the Exes that is no doubt her signature moment, and somehow she & Bananas won the final. On BOTS 2 came another meltdown when she went off on Big Easy Eric for quitting an Arena, and she got into words with Jemmye on a ride back from the club. Those two got paired up on Rivals II and won the last Jungle to get into the final but settled for a 3rd place showing. And of course, there's been the three times in the past couple years that she's got into the face of her frenemy, Nany; and what we've seen with her and Tony.

But, there's a side of the Camilanator that a lot of you don't know that she has. It's a musical side of her and, in a way, we like to call it The Softer Side of Camila.

First, Camila was close friends with Diem Brown right up to her November 2014 passing. In the leadup to Rivals II, Camila was dared by Diem to do a musical answer to one of those videos of Diem dancing that, of course, she loved some so much. At the same time, this was during when the first installment of the musical comedy Pitch Perfect was the buzz of the movie world, and Camila thought of doing only one cover, with cups included.

Towards the end of that season - and before they met in the last jungle that determined their fates in the game, Diem gave Camila another musical dare. This time, the Brazilian covered Rihanna's "Stay."

It's understandable how deep a bond Camila has with her family down in Brazil and close to home in her adopted homeland, and what we saw on Wednesday is proof of those strong family ties. She learned the news from her sister & Bloodline partner Lari of her grandma passing away unexpectedly. This wasn't the first time she has dealt with a family loss, as while Rivals II was airing, her dad Akira passed away, and it actually affected how she performed on Free Agents. It was at the same time of her filming that season in Uruguay that Paul Walker had died in a car accident, and last summer as Furious 7 was in theaters, Camila covered "See You Again" in honor of her late father.

When we saw Camila last, she was with the aforementioned sister Lari but they were one of the victims of Jenna's stellar elimination run on Bloodlines. In the description of this cover of "Titanium" by David Guetta and Sia, Camila writes, "This song Is for my little sister. It represents our bond. I love you Lari." 

Of course, Camila is a native Brazilian who grew up in what is actually the largest city in terms of population in Brazil of São Paulo, even though Rio de Janiero is the city best known to the rest of the world and of course will host the Summer Olympics in over a month from now. The two covers below are Brazilian songs (and thus performed in the country's official language of Portuguese and instantly takes her back to when she lived in the Southern Hemisphere. The first one pays tribute to another of her grandparents, not the one who died while Camila was filming this Rivals III season.

And Tuesday before this episode aired, Camila posted a video on her YouTube channel to express her thanks to everyone for their support after fans saw the sneak peek of when news of her grandma's death got to her in the house in Mexico.

For someone who's a popular competitor on The Challenge and known for her brash and energetic personality, in the course of the past two years Camila has not only endured the heartache of losing two close friends in her MTV family, but also has had to go through saying goodbye to three members of her own family as well. As we've written here many times when we've revisited the times those in the Trifecta have endured this tramatic experience, it's hard to explain the feelings of people losing a loved one...it's just the emotions that can speak for themselves.

   However, Camila has found solace in honoring the memories of the ones that have left this earth, plus take pride her Brazilian roots, in what she loves doing in her spare time: words and music. Camila says, "I was born in Brasil, and I love to sing for fun. Singing brings me joy."

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Be sure to rejoin DCBLOG tomorrow when we review both last week's Rivals III and the premiere of Are You The One? Season 4 on DC WRAP. Thanks for reading and Happy Father's Day.

- I AM DC