Brazilian sensation Anitta has always been able to turn heads, whether she’s rocking the stage as an international pop icon or offstage as the more private Larissa de Macedo Machado.
But as her fame skyrocketed, Anitta’s on-stage persona began to bleed into her everyday life, creating an identity crisis that’s far from glamorous.
In her latest Netflix documentary, Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta, the 31-year-old singer reveals the emotional toll it’s taken on her, as she grapples with the challenge of balancing the two sides of her identity.
At one point in the film, Anitta expresses the intense pressure she faces, admitting she feels on the verge of breaking down.
“Three shows in a row. Different countries. I’m dying. I want to cry,” she shares candidly in the documentary. “I wanna die.”
This emotional moment leads to a deep breakdown just a month later. In her hotel room, Anitta opens up to a producer, explaining how overwhelming it is to switch between being Larissa and Anitta. “It’s very complicated, man. It’s like, I hear one side, and then the other side comes and ‘Boom!’ Instantly. It’s like my body doesn’t know how to be at peace.”
As Anitta continues to explain, her struggle is amplified by the constant pressure to embody the larger-than-life character that fans and industry professionals expect. “Every time I see somebody that knows who Anitta is but I’m not close to them, I become Anitta.
That triggers me, and I become the character. I don’t want to be the character all the time!” she says.
Over time, Anitta has lost control over her persona. “Now that everybody knows me, I don’t have any control. And I can’t take it anymore. I can’t stand not being able to control when I’m turning into the character,” she admits.
This internal conflict led to an emotional breaking point, which Anitta attempted to cope with by embarking on a life-changing spiritual journey to Nepal. During her hike, she reflects on her career and whether it’s all worth it. “That day felt exactly as I did in my career. I wanted to rest. I was feeling extremely sick, tired. But the people around me have such a clear image of Anitta in their heads,” she explains.
The documentary, Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta, showcases her most personal and raw moments, offering fans an inside look at her dual identity and the personal battles she’s fought to stay true to herself.
Anitta has long been open about the contrast between Larissa and Anitta, with the former being her quiet, low-key self and the latter being the outspoken pop powerhouse the world knows. “It used to be two sides of my brain fighting with each other,” she explains, reflecting on how she’s learned to let them coexist.
Fans can now get an up-close-and-personal view of the real Anitta through Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta on Netflix.
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