Melanie Amaro

Melanie Ann Amaro is an American singer who gained national prominence after winning the first season of The X Factor USA in 2011. Her victory earned her a $5 million recording contract with Syco Music and Epic Records, which stood as the largest guaranteed prize in television history. During the show's run from 2011 to 2013, she was the youngest contestant to win the competition.

Amaro was born on June 26, 1992, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At three years old, she was sent to live with her grandmother Catherine on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands because her parents, Hipolito Amaro and Debra Sylvester Amaro, felt unable to provide for her. Growing up alongside her brothers Mark and Michael and her sister Maya, she spent summer and Christmas breaks with her parents. She attended Althea Scatliffe Primary School and Elmore Stoutt High School before returning to Florida at age 15, graduating from Plantation High School in 2010. She developed an interest in singing and acting around age eleven, performing at churches, weddings, and local events without entering formal competitions.

In June 2011, Amaro auditioned for The X Factor USA in Coral Gables, Florida, singing Beyoncé's "Listen." After advancing to the Top 32, she was initially eliminated from the girls' category by mentor Simon Cowell. However, Cowell visited her home two weeks later to bring her back as a wildcard qualifier, bringing the total number of live show qualifiers to 17. Amaro advanced through the live competition and was declared the winner at age 19. Following her victory, Epic Records officially signed her to work with L.A. Reid, and she starred alongside Elton John in a Pepsi commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLVI.

In 2012, Amaro released a dance cover of "Respect," which reached number three on the Billboard Dance/Club Chart. She subsequently released singles including "Don't Fail Me Now" and "Long Distance," performing the latter live on The X Factor in December 2012. Her debut studio album, tentatively titled Truly, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately never released. Outside of recording, she performed in Indonesia for the X Factor Around the World television special in August 2013 and made her musical theater debut in the national tour of You're Never Alone in October 2013.

Amaro relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2014 under new management and began releasing music independently. She premiered the single "Fuel My Fire" on SoundCloud in June 2014. In 2015, she released "Dust" featuring Fabolous, which held the top position on the independent charts for six weeks and stayed on the indie charts for six consecutive months. She followed with "The One" in 2016. By January 2018, Amaro was residing in Atlanta with her newborn son as the first female artist signed to Moorehouse Music Group, LLC, an indie label led by Justin A. Moore, through which she released the singles "Whole Mood," "Enough," and "Play No Games."