Mariella was born in Cuba and immigrated to the US at age nine with her mum and two older brothers. They came with nothing but the clothes on their backs and money in their pockets. Mariellas mum found a good job as a spanish teacher in one of the high schools near their house, Mariella was just getting ready to leave for college but she didn't have enough money to pay for all the fees, she felt too embarrassed to ask her family to help her out so instead she auditioned for one of the most popular clubs in the city "La noche oscura".