Every year, Love Island USA viewers form a special bond with the Day 1 Islanders, many of whom become instant fan favorites. By week 3 of season 7, 27-year-old Olandria Carthen established herself as a fixture in the villa, with a high chance of making it to the finale. So, fans were shocked on June 24 when she and another original Islander, Nic Vansteenberghe, were left single and eliminated during Casa Amor. However, Olandria's time as season 7's most level-headed Islander may not be over yet.
Below, read on to learn more about Olandria Carthen, including her life outside of Love Island USA and the twist that has the fandom clamoring to know what will happen next.
Olandria Carthen is an Alabama native who works in the elevator industry.
Olandria, 27, is a self-proclaimed "Bama Barbie" from Decatur, Alabama. In her Love Island USA intro, she revealed that she's a proud first-generation college graduate who attended the historically-Black school (HBCU) Tuskegee University and studied supply chain management. Olandria's Southern roots are important to her; she has made clear from the beginning that she's looking for her country-boy soulmate.
As for her career, Olandria works in the elevator and escalator industry. According to her LinkedIn, which has since been taken down, she was a sales associate at Otis Elevator Co. in Houston, Texas, before joining Love Island USA. She also seems to have some freelance modeling experience, according to her Instagram and TikTok.
Olandria shows off her Southern style on a date outside the villa.
Olandria Carthen and Taylor Williams have had a slow-burn romance since Day 1.
Olandria was one of the first two women to enter the Love Island USA season 7 villa, and she quickly paired up in a fan-favorite couple. She and Taylor Williams, a 24-year-old cowboy and model from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma coupled up on the first night and stayed together for the next 11 days, which is a long-term relationship in the world of Love Island couples. Throughout those days, they formed a tight-knit (if a bit boring for reality TV) relationship, with both of their feelings growing as they got to know each other.
The pair's first big test of their relationship came when Jalen Brown, a polite truck driver from Sparta, Georgia, entered the villa as a bombshell on day 9. Jalen had his eyes on Olandria from the moment he arrived, and viewers, eager to see if Olandria could have more spark, voted for her to couple up with him. However, even though they were getting along, Olandria's time with Jalen brought her even closer to Taylor. Two days after she was paired with Jalen, Olandria chose to recouple with Taylor, and Jalen was dumped from the villa. (Jalen now has 1.6 million TikTok followers, so things seem to have worked out for him.)
Olandria and Taylor take their couple portrait after the season 7 premiere.
Olandria was eliminated on the second night of Casa Amor...or was she?
On June 23, Olandria and the female Islanders left the villa for Casa Amor, Love Island's ultimate test of loyalty. With their men left behind and the main villa, the seven women checked into a new home for four days and met six brand-new Casa boys. However, season 7's Casa Amor came with a twist new to the franchise: Each Islander had to couple up with one of the Casa girls or boys, and whoever was left single and vulnerable would be sent home.
Olandria, who was still open to exploring despite her connection with Taylor, initially coupled up with Zak Srakaew, a 29-year-old Thai model who grew up in Manchester, England. At first, Zak chose to pair up with Olandria because of her maturity, but he also hit it off with Amaya Espinal, who is more open to physical intimacy (a.k.a. they kiss several times). When there's a recoupling 24 hours later, Zak chooses to couple up with Amaya, and Olandria is left to be dumped from Casa.
Olandria picks up Nic (unseen) after the Casa recoupling.
Meanwhile, in the main villa, Taylor partners up with 24-year-old behavioral health specialist Clarke Carraway. Another Day 1 Islander, Nic Vansteenberghe, is left single and dumped, despite having been in one of the show's strongest couples with Cierra Ortega. With Olandria and Nic dumped, that's two fan favorites gone and two of the show's three solid couples shattered (with only Ace Greene and Chelley Bissainthe remaining).
Thankfully, Peacock had a twist up its sleeve. The final moments of June 24th's episode showed Nic exiting the villa with his suitcase in hand, the "Loves Me Not" sign illuminating. This is where every dumping typically concludes, but here we see Olandria pulling up in a black SUV and calling for Nic to jump in the car with her. The surprise ending signals that the producers have more plans for Nic and Olandria, whether that means they'll rejoin the Islanders at the end of Casa, or maybe even pair up together to give Nicolandria shippers their moment. We fans will have to wait and see.