Anitta doesn’t take kindly to commands like “just shake your butt.”
“If I’m sexy, I’m not smart I’ve heard that.
That’sallI’ve heard,” she says.
Brazilian pop star Anitta enters EW’s Bold School.Amanda Friedman for EW
“I’m like, ‘Hell no.
Get out of here.'”
People are always going to say something.
Having succeeded in Brazil, and Spanish-speaking countries, Anitta has recently begun releasing songs sung in English.Amanda Friedman for EW
So I’m always trying to bring Brazilian culture [into my music]."
Anitta adds that instinct and preparation are what have helped her find success through different parts of the world.
She made the right call: When it came out in 2017, the song became a global hit.
“I felt so good.
I felt like I could do anything,” says Anitta of the win.
These are the moments that I feel very empowered."
They’re also what have helped her push past the bad advice she’s received.
Thankfully, she had the foresight to ignore any suggestions she quit on her dreams.
says Anitta, who considers the pop star one of her idols.
(Mariah’s advice to Anitta?
“You’re strong.
You should always remember that.")
Life is about this, being real.”
