Florida-based 'busiest mermaid in the world' is paid $10K an hour for some performances
A woman who grew up terrified of the ocean is now a professional mermaid — making thousands of dollars in a short period of time.
Elle Jimenez is a 34-year-old mermaid originally from Puerto Rico. She now lives in Miami and performs a mermaid act for a living, telling Fox News Digital she can earn up to $10,000 an hour for some events.
She claims to be the "busiest professional mermaid entertainer in the world — sometimes with triple bookings in a day."
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After overcoming a fear of water, Jimenez said she had to train to become a mermaid, she told SWNS, a British news service.
"I took three months of swimming lessons, then went on to get my scuba certification and lifeguard certificate," she said.
"It was so inspiring but also the scariest experience of my life," she said.
Jimenez told Fox News Digital that most mermaids are paid around $300 an hour, but she charges anywhere from $500 to $10,000, depending on the event and venue.
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"I perform at all sorts of events, from birthday parties, charging my minimum of $500, to corporate events, residency shows, upscale and celebrity events," said Jimenez, known as Mermaid Elle on social media.
After dreaming of becoming a performer as an adult, Jimenez started her own entertainment company in 2016.
She's spent the last eight years performing as a mermaid in a $5,000 silicone tail, per SWNS.
Jimenez said she must repurchase the silicone tail every three years.
Jimenez also said it takes her about 15 minutes to get into the tail and another five or so to get comfortable in the space, SWNS reported.
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She also has 30 fabric tails that are eco-friendly and made of recycled materials — but still cost about $500 each.
On top of that, she owns 10 different silicone tops, which also cost roughly $500 each, according to SWNS.
Jimenez’s boyfriend, photographer Darren Joshua Leonardi, travels with her for safety reasons and "looks like Aqua Man."
She said, "I have trained him to be a mermaid, so he will be starting to perform with me," as SWNS noted.
Over the years, Jimenez has performed for many different celebrities, including the Jonas Brothers, DJ Khaled and more.
She told Fox News Digital that performing for Bruno Mars was "a dream come true."
She added, "I've performed as a mermaid in front of many celebrities, but the vibes were so high during his performance, and he just makes everyone so happy with his music."
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This year, however, she will have her biggest gig yet, she said: the Formula 1 race in Miami in May.
"We work in sets, so for an hour I am there in the water or sitting by the pool, and then I will take a break," she told SWNS.
Jimenez noted that she’s lucky for not getting backlash on social media for her unique career.
"I think some of the worst I’ve [gotten] is people saying I am fake — but that’s obvious," she said.
In November 2022, Jimenez was one of three mermaids who helped save a scuba diver's life who nearly drowned in open water.
Jimenez told Fox News Digital that she was teaching an advanced mermaid course certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors when she and the other mermaids in training heard someone shouting for help off Catalina Island in California.
The mermaids were able to help the man in need, thanks to their fin propellers, and Jimenez said it was "incredible" to know that a group of mermaids could save a scuba diver.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Jimenez for further comment.
Cortney Moore contributed to this report.
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