The Singer People Think Isabela Merced Looks Exactly Like
With hits like Transformers: The Last Knight and Dora and the Lost City of Gold under her belt, up-and-coming actress Isabela Merced is making her mark on Hollywood. Not only that, but the young star is carving out a niche for herself within the music industry as well. Her 2019 single "Papi" has been viewed over 15 million times on YouTube, and according to E! News, that's just the tip of the iceberg. In 2020, Merced collaborated with Mexican singer Danna Paola on a new pop single, "Don't Go," which fittingly dropped during Hispanic Heritage Month, E! reported.
The decision to release a song in Spanish makes sense, given Merced has previously been outspoken about her Peruvian heritage. Born Isabela Moner, the actress-singer officially changed her name to Isabela Merced in 2019 to pay tribute to her family's ancestry. "Isabela Merced represents everything that has and will continue to define me," she wrote in a deeply personal Instagram post. "It represents the values that were passed on from my grandmother."
Though Merced is known for her singing and acting chops — as well as her close-knit family ties — her name has cropped up in the news for a different reason: She has a doppelgänger in the music industry! But just who is the mysterious singer that people think looks exactly like her?
Isabela Merced is a dead ringer for another entertainer
In November 2019, Isabela Merced joined her Let It Snow co-star Kiernan Shipka to answer the web's most-searched questions about themselves for a video with Wired. To promote their Netflix hit, the pair tackled queries touching on everything from their relationship status to food preferences, before Merced uncovered the commonly asked question, "Is Isabela Merced Becky G?" As Shipka laughed next to her, Merced explained that she "gets that all the time." "People have shown me pictures of her and asked me to sign them and I'm like... that's not me," Merced continued. "But I sign them anyway!"
Once you see the resemblance, it's hard to unsee it. Merced and the "My Man" hitmaker are around the same age and have similar builds and features, including striking dark hair and eyes. And as proud Latina women in the music industry (Becky G is Mexican-American and Merced is Peruvian-American), the duo isn't shy about championing their respective heritage and opening up about the obstacles they face. But that's not all they have in common!
Isabela Merced has more in common with Becky G than just good looks
Isabela Merced and Becky G have clearly hustled to get to the top of their game, so it only makes sense that neither singer has time for men who are insecure or intimidated by their accomplishments. In 2017, Merced vented some frustrations by sharing an Instagram photo of herself on the red carpet of the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards, with the cryptic caption, "What do you mean, he's just [intimidated] by me?" Becky G sympathized, liking the photo and commenting, "Story of my life."
According to J-14, Merced was previously linked to actor Jace Norman in 2016, though the pair split seven months later after making the decision to "stay friends." As of the time of this writing, Merced doesn't appear to be dating and is choosing to keep her love life out of the spotlight, maybe because she's been disappointed one too many times by other people's insecurities?
Per the Los Angeles Times, Becky G has been in a four-year relationship with Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget, and credits her success in love to the couple's mutual respect for one another. "There's an understanding that our careers come first, which is hard for a lot of power couples because ego gets in the way," Becky G told the outlet.
While Merced appears to be perfectly happy flying solo, here's to hoping she can find the kind of supportive, confident partner Becky G has found.