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Black America Web
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
5 Things I Have To Get Off My Chest About Season 7 Of ‘Love Island'
Source: Peacock / Peacock When it comes to reality TV shows, I don't play about mine. I usually keep to the drama of the Real Housewives but I found my way to the Love Island corner of the reality sphere a few years ago. Last season, Serena and Kordell gave me hope for Black love. We finally felt seen and valued on these types of shows. So, like many, I was ready for season 7 of Love Island USA. I was ready to see the tea in Soul Ties, the chats, the girl gang, romances, and real love. What I got instead was a mixed bag of an overproduced mess. A jumbled narrative that felt more like a choreographed reality show than the spontaneous blossoming of love and drama I'd come to expect. The raw, unfiltered moments that once defined the show turned into manufactured tension and predictable plotlines. With that said, please find 5 things I need to get off my chest about this season. It's infuriating to watch Black women on Love Island consistently painted as 'mean girls' or 'aggressive' simply for asserting themselves, setting boundaries, or expressing their true feelings. When a non-Black woman does the exact same thing, she's celebrated as strong, confident, or a 'boss babe.' This double standard is unfair. It is a deeply rooted microaggression highlighting broader societal biases. Black women are constantly policed for their tone, their emotions, and their reactions. Even when we are simply standing up for ourselves or holding others accountable. It's time for the show and viewers to dismantle these harmful tropes. A Black woman setting her standards and refusing to be disrespected is a sign of self-worth, not a character flaw. The lack of accountability for the male islanders on Love Island is a glaring issue season after season. The men are given a free pass for manipulative behavior, gaslighting, emotional unavailability, and general disrespect towards the women. The women are constantly scrutinized for their choices, their 'journeys,' and their perceived flaws. The men often face little to no genuine pressure or consequences for their actions. This creates an imbalanced dynamic where women are expected to tolerate poor behavior and consistently work to understand or 'fix' the men. Rather than the men being held responsible for their own actions and growth. The show needs to do a better job of highlighting and challenging male toxicity, rather than consistently overlooking it. The decision to remove Islanders for using racial slurs is a necessary step. But the show's handling of it still fell short. The lack of transparency and refusal to explicitly name the racist behavior feels like a passive-aggressive attempt to address a serious issue without truly confronting it. When these instances are vaguely referenced or swept under the rug, it not only diminishes the impact of the racist actions but also fails to properly educate viewers. Furthermore, this disingenuous approach is compounded by the fact that Black women on the show consistently face a barrage of racist abuse from internet trolls outside the villa. The show's failure to unequivocally condemn racism, both on and off-screen, sends a dangerous message that it is more concerned with optics than genuinely protecting its contestants and fostering an inclusive environment. It is baffling how little research is done on the Islanders before they enter the villa. Time and again, contestants come in with problematic social media histories, past controversial statements. Not to mention a clear pattern of behavior that suggests they might not be suitable for a show centered on healthy relationships and emotional maturity. This lack of vetting raises serious questions about the casting process. Is the show prioritizing drama over the well-being of its contestants and the integrity of the 'love' experiment? A more thorough background check and a deeper understanding of potential Islanders' pasts could prevent many of the uncomfortable and damaging situations. Source: Peacock / Peacock *in the narrator's voice* A mid size or plus-size bombshell has never entered the villa — why is that? There's a pressing issue that demands our scrutiny: the glaring body exclusivity prevalent across these platforms. It's time to ask: is it truly a prerequisite in 2025 that folks must be a size 4 or under? This narrow representation fails to reflect the beautiful diversity of body types in the real world. It also perpetuates harmful ideals of beauty. Reality television consistently showcases only a specific physique. It sends a clear message that only certain bodies are desirable, worthy of love, and deserving of screen time. This can have detrimental effects on viewers' self-esteem, fostering unrealistic expectations and body image issues. The absence of diverse body shapes contributes to an exclusive culture. Larger bodies get erased and marginalized. It reinforces a narrow and unattainable standard of beauty. True inclusivity means embracing a spectrum of body types, just as it means embracing diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Until then, these 'love' islands will continue to project a distorted and exclusive version of reality, rather than the true and varied landscape of human attraction and affection. SEE ALSO 5 Things I Have To Get Off My Chest About Season 7 Of 'Love Island' was originally published on
Cosmopolitan
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
‘Love Island USA's Nic and Olandria Dish on Their Soul Ties Kiss
Nicolandria Nation, rise up! They may not have emerged from Love Island USA as the winners, but now that they're stateside, Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen are feeling the love—and the pressure from fans to explain what took them so long to get together. This week, Nic and Olandria explained what happened after that Soul Ties kiss and gave fans an update on where their connection is heading now that they're back in the real world. Fans shipped Nic and Olandria from the beginning of the season, but #Nicolandria Nation really got activated after the duo kissed in Soul Ties to see if there was a spark. At the time, they both agreed to remain friends out of respect for their already existing connections—Cierra Ortega and Taylor Williams, respectively—but fans saw the fireworks. 'I know for me, I just thought I was doing a disservice to Cierra,' Olandria explained to Us Weekly when asked about the Soul Ties kiss. 'Because I was in Casa Amor with the girls at first, and I knew how she was feeling over there about Nic,' she continued. 'I felt guilty in a sense, which is why immediately after the kiss, I'm like, 'I have to tell Cierra and I have to tell Taylor,' I didn't allow myself to feel a spark because I felt like I owed those two people so much.' In a separate interview with Elite Daily, Nic echoed Olandria's sentiments, saying that while there was clearly something there, they were just too focused on their other relationships. 'I had a strong connection and so did she, and those doors were still open, so we weren't 100 percent invested into each other until both of those strong connections were no longer there,' he explained. Speaking of Nic's other connection, that's still TBD. Asked whether or not he had reached out to Cierra since leaving the Villa, Nic told Us Weekly, 'I'm still processing everything with what's happening. I need more time to think on it and go from there because it's only been, what, a day?' In Nic's defense, he's been pretty busy giving interviews and navigating this new connection with Olandria. 'It's something that we haven't labeled yet,' Nic continued. 'We're going at the comfortable pace that we want to go at. When we look at the grand scheme of things, we're just taking our time and investing in the real world and enjoying each other's company.' What do Nic and Olandria do to enjoy each other's company, you ask? Olandria told Elite Daily they share one very specific new hobby: 'We lay in bed and watch [#Nicolandria edits], like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so cute.'
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘This is our Super Bowl': How ‘Love Island USA' became a South Florida phenomenon
After the seventh season of 'Love Island USA' came to its gripping conclusion on Sunday, there was no denying the real winner of the show, which has become a cultural phenomenon, is South Florida. Not only has the show filled its roster with contestants that hail from South Florida, but it has also filled sports bars and restaurants during the slow summer months when the professional teams are between seasons. Fans across South Florida — and the country— flocked to local bars and restaurants that hosted watch parties during the season. This season was the most watched of 'Love Island USA,' the American version of the popular UK series of the same name. In the show, hot, young singles ditch their day jobs to spend a summer in a villa in Fiji where they couple up, break up, make out and fuel six weeks' worth of memes, drama and social media discourse — all while wearing tiny bikinis and high heels. The show is filmed in real-time, which means fans can influence what happens by voting. At Casa Tiki in Little Havana, over 120 fans packed the bar and lounge space, sipping on 'Love Island'-themed cocktails like Hurricane Huda and Soul Ties with rose petals strewn on the bar counter for Sunday's season finale. Casa Tiki was one of the first bars in Miami to jump on the idea as young women posted on social media about wanting bars to host watch parties, said Michael Guerrero, the bar's multimedia manager. 'It's what the girls demanded!' Guerrero said. 'It did give us that feel of people watching something together, and in this case, mainly girls. Girls wanted to feel like guys do watching a sporting event.' The 'Love Island' watch parties, held twice a week, have been a hit. Reservations for seats at the bar's lounge space sold out for every watch party, Guerrero said. During intermissions, the hosts grabbed audience members on stage for flirty games, like 'hottest make-out session' and 'worst date story.' The bar even raffled Labubus, the trendy plush toy popular among Gen Z (and apparently, 'Love Island' fans). 'I love it. For guys, they have their sports. For girls, this is our Super Bowl,' said Carla Lumbi, 31, who wore a shirt with cast member Amaya Espinal's face on it to the watch party at Casa Tiki. When Espinal and accountant Bryan Arenales, a Latino couple, won the show, Lumbi and the rest of the bar jumped out of their seats to cheer. Nic Vansteenberghe, a 24-year-old Jacksonville native who graduated from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, was the only Floridian to make it to the finale. Vansteenberghe and his partner Olandria Carthen, known as 'Nicolandria,' were the runners-up. Vansteenberghe, a registered nurse and model, lived in Miami and then traveled for three months before going on the show, said Vansteenberghe's manager Ron Gerard of NEXT Management Miami. Besides Vansteenberghe, season 7 of Love Island USA's South Floridian cast members included: Austin Shepard, a 26-year-old pool technician who lives in Fort LauderdaleChelley Bissainthe, a 27-year-old Haitian-American day trader born in Miami Yulissa Escobar, a 27-year-old mobile bar owner from MiamiElan Bibas, a 24-year-old technology consultant who lives in MiamiGracyn Blackmore, a 25-year-old who lives in West Palm Beach But the South Florida representation on the show was not without controversy. Escobar was unceremoniously removed from the villa on the second episode after a clip of her saying the N-word on a podcast resurfaced. Vansteenberghe unknowingly became one of the season's main characters, with fans (and even his own family members) hoping that he would finally couple up with Carthen, despite their previous ties to other contestants. Nicolandria also had the support of major brands, NFL teams, the University of Miami and Delray Beach native and tennis superstar Coco Gauff. 'nicolandria stans we upppp #LoveIslandUSA,' Gauff posted on X. But perhaps Vansteenberghe's biggest contribution to the show was a viral conversation he had with fellow islander Huda Mustafa when she revealed to him that she has a daughter back home. Just google 'I'm a mommy' and prepare to go down the rabbit hole. Back at Casa Tiki, 'Love Island' fan Julia Ceresani, 24, said she and friends Brooke Howard and Yami Figueroa were happy to see the South Florida representation on the show. 'I absolutely love it. I think Florida gets such a bad rep normally, although, I don't know how good the show is for that honestly,' Ceresani said, laughing. 'But I love that they're repping Florida in a non-crazy, Florida Man way.' Howard, 30, was pleasantly surprised to learn that Vansteenberghe was a fellow FAU alum, though she was hoping for Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia to win. 'Go Owls!' she said.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Megan Thee Stallion's special appearance on Love Island USA Season 7 brings major twists
Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion made a special appearance on the most recent episode of Love Island USA Season 7, which turned up the tropical heat. The singer made an unexpected but welcoming appearance on the show to present two new romantic interests to this season's contestants. The two latest additions In the episode, Megan kicked off with a spirited three-part challenge—starting with a twerking contest, followed by a limbo round, and culminating in a puzzle showdown. Megan introduced the girls to Thomas John "TJ" Palma, a 23-year-old from Westchester, New York, who made a fiery entrance into the Love Island USA villa following a tense recoupling after they won the competition to add a new bombshell to their collection. But the surprise didn't end there. Andreina Santos, a 24-year-old from New Jersey, attended the show and treated the boys as well, earning her the title of 'top-tier baddie' among fans on social media. Fans expressed their excitement on social media after discovering this unexpected new twist. The episode ended with a sneak peek at what will happen next. While Palma concluded the show on a twisted note by telling Ciera, "I would like to get to know you more," Nick was seen laughing outside on the new docks with newcomer Santos. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo But the most astounding moment? In Soul Ties, Palma was seen making out with Iris. With a few plot twists, heartbreaks, and the addition of TJ and Andreina, promises of renewed drama, shifting loyalties, and romantic sparks. Along the way, Season 7 of the well-known reality dating show returns male and female bombshells to the famous Fiji Villa in search of love. Every day at 9 PM ET, with the exception of Wednesdays, Peacock releases new episodes of Love Island USA Season 7.
Refinery29
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Love Island USA Let Viewers Vote & We Turned It Into Cinematic Chaos
America, we have a problem: we live for drama. And there's nothing messier on TV right now than Love Island USA. These recent episodes are proof. If you're late to the party, the show takes a group of hot singles and drops them off in a massive pheromone-filled villa in Fiji with no phones, no connection to the outside world and a copious amount of avocado toast, all in the name of finding love. Or at least something that feels like love for the moment. It's as much of a horny reality-dating show as it is a social experiment. And for the first time in the franchise's seven-season run, producers let viewers decide who should be coupled up. That may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but it has caused a major shake-up that delivered some grade-A cinema full of tears, questions and fall outs. If you aren't caught up, let me break it down for you, starting with the couple dynamics before America's vote. Jeremiah and Huda Jeremiah and Huda have been locked in since day one, sharing genuinely sweet moments that reflect their genuine affection for each other. Initially, Huda struggled to tell Jeremiah that she had a 4-year-old daughter, fearing he would break up with her. She eventually opened up to him, but things started to get rocky with the couple and the other boys in the villa, especially Ace, who questioned why the two never explored dating more singles besides each other. Seeds of doubt began to sprout when the boys told Jeremiah that it seemed like he was trapped and that they didn't always believe that Huda's intentions were good. Viewers share similar feelings about their relationship, pointing out inconsistencies they've noticed. There is a double standard in the way their dynamic works. Though Huda has been able to enjoy making out with other boys during challenges, she hovers over Jeremiah and calls him out for doing the same. And when bombshells enter the villa — other singles coming in on a mission to break up established couples to find their own match – she warns new girls that she and Jeremiah are closed off. Even though Huda may tell new cast members that their relationship is solid, the cracks in their two-week-old foundation are clear to everyone on the outside looking in. They seem to be clear to Jeremiah, too, but he has yet to stand up. Ace and Amaya Since Ace chose Amaya at last week's recoupling (he should've picked Chelley, but that's another story), they've been oil and water. Briefly after, Ace told Amaya that he planned to continue exploring other connections and wasn't interested in getting too intimate too soon. Amaya didn't like that. She told him he was giving 'player vibes,' especially for telling her right after the recoupling. It was all downhill from there. Every conversation since then has been a masterclass in miscommunication. Though technically coupled for purposes of the show, they ultimately decided they wanted nothing to do with each other. Ace now sleeps in Soul Ties instead of in bed with Amaya and has made it abundantly clear he wants nothing to do with Amaya. You can't help but say 'yikes' every time they interact. Now Ace is pursuing Iris, Chelley and whoever else walks into the villa at this point. Chelley and Austin Another day-one couple—but there's no spark here. Although their conversations are pleasant enough, they give absolutely nothing as a unit. The chemistry just isn't there. And a part of them knows it. Early on, they even talked about shifting toward a platonic direction. But between Ace playing mind games with Chelley and Austin getting little to no attention from the bombshells entering the villa, they've basically settled for each other by default. What's been really pathetic to watch, however, has been Ace courting Chelley in Austin's face. Austin has been sitting between passively watching them flirt and annoyingly complaining about how Ace is taking his girl. This love triangle honestly stinks and is somewhat stale. Chelley deserves someone who is both sure of her and actually shows it. I'm just waiting for a bombshell to come in to sweep my girl off her feet. Nic and Cierra Cierra is a bombshell that won Nic over after his previous connection, Bell-A, was slow to connect with him and fizzled out. Honestly, they're cute. They mesh well and aren't seeped in too much drama, though it's clear that Nic definitely still has a wandering eye. But hey, it's Love Island, after all. I can't totally blame him. If we're being real, I feel like we've probably seen him hanging with Ace more than any of his connections. But the real tea is that Nic most likely has a crush on Olandria. And can you blame him? The way he engages with her, especially during challenges, is telling. During Sunday night's ' Got Wood? ' challenge, Nic lit up when he realized he would have the chance to make out with her. Olandria and Taylor Olandira likes Taylor, but he's admitted that the 'physical attraction' isn't there. And Olandria isn't oblivious. She knows that he's not applying enough pressure and is open enough to tell him directly that she needs more affection. And Taylor obliged. What's hard for us as viewers to believe, though, is how genuine Taylor is. Every time he initiates dates and affection towards Olandria, it's after Ace has held his hand in doing so. Then came Jalen: the big, fine country bombshell, whom producers sent to the villa just days ago, and he immediately expressed interest in Olandria off the bat. Suddenly, Taylor started shaking in his cowboy boots. Hannah and Charlie Hannah and Charlie's relationship has been steadily budding. Even though bombshell Pepe and Hannah have had a couple of steamy moments, Hannah and Charlie connected on a deeper level after days of indecision. Hannah admitted that she had messed up by kissing Pepe, stating that her relationship with Charlie was more meaningful than her relationship with Pepe. 'We're already so good, I don't think it's possible for anything to be better,' Hannah told Charlie before their lives got turned completely upside down. So, who are the new couples? The new couples are Jeremiah and Iris, Hannah and Pepe and Olandria and Jalen. Ace and Amaya, Chelley and Austin and Nic and Cierra remain in the same couples. What's the big deal with the recoupling? This was the first time in Love Island USA history the producers gave viewers the power to vote for who they wanted to see in a new couple, unbeknownst to the islanders. Once voting opened on Friday night, a slew of fans began petitioning on social media for viewers to vote for specific pairings: Iris with Jeremiah, Jalen with Olandria and Pepe with Hannah. Of course, the intent was to shake things up in the original relationships, but the most shocking moment for the cast was Huda and Jeremiah's split. Though Iris expressed her interest in Jeremiah, there wasn't much chemistry on screen. But viewers — and some of the islanders — have been dying to see Jeremiah explore connections beyond Huda. Let's just say that America is not Team Huda. Because of Huda's controlling ways in their relationship — and partly Jeremiah's passiveness — she's become this season's villain. And the votes made that clear. Huda remarked that she felt she got 'slapped in the face' by America during the recoupling ceremony. The social media campaigning did what it needed to do and stirred up the biggest drama of the season. As for the remaining couples? They had to vote one person out to leave the villa. They chose Charlie. The decision left Huda and Taylor officially single. So what's next? Huda and Jeremiah are currently at odds. In Tuesday night's episode, Huda spent a good portion of the time crying and calling Jeremiah a bitch and a liar, especially after he didn't check on her post-recoupling. The triple date the couples went on didn't help. Everyone in the villa is feeling the tension from their beef. It's honestly gone from messy to ugly. And though Huda told Jeremiah that she wants nothing to do with him at the end of the episode, we'll see how long that lasts, especially with another recoupling on the table for Tuesday night. This season has been a lot and we're not even at Casa Amor yet. All I know is this: my girls, Olandria and Chelley, deserve so much better. I'll be tuned in to Peacock with snacks and seltzer in hand at 9 p.m. ET tonight.
