Yazaira is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and songwriter. She was the first place winner of Univision's musical reality series Vap Por Ti in its 2014 debut season. Yazaira is well-known for her rich, dynamic alto -- a powerhouse voice that is instantly recognizable. She came by it the hard way. While growing up in Puerto Rico, she was often bullied, harassed and teased because of her weight. This led to a crisis of self-confidence. She began singing as a way to comfort herself. Singing in church and at parties and weddings, she gained enough self-confidence and encouragement to begin competing in local competitions. She was a contestant on Latin Idol, I Sing, and other programs, but never made the finals -- usually because her nervousness showed in her stage presence. Encouraged by her husband, she tried out for Univision's Va Por Ti, which was being filmed in Mexico. Hosted by Galilea Montijo, the first season judges were Alejandra Guzmán, Dulce María, and Jencarlos Canela. She won a spot, eventually making it through the many rounds of preview competition and the show's 13-episode run, surviving to win against Fernando Corona. The season finale also featured guest judges Los Tigres del Norte. As the reward for her first place finish -- agreed upon by the judges and the audience -- she was awarded a recording contract with Warner Brothers Latin. Her self-titled debut album featured nine covers and three originals; it was released in early 2015 and charted on various Latin album charts the week after. ~ Thom Jurek