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In the past two seasons of Love Island USA, we’ve seen Black women become some of the franchise’s biggest stars, from fan favorites like Olandria, who finished as the Season 7 runner-up, to Season 8 winner Trinity Tatum and her partner, Bryce Dettloff. But as soon as one woman starts to bask in the post-glow light, parts of the internet seem eager to turn her success into major discourse and a Love Island USA competition that none of them signed up for: the game of comparison.
In the past week, certain stans have been arguing over follower numbers and whether one star has overtaken another, leading to discourse and drama over who’s “winning” life after the villa. Well, I’m here with the answer:
Life post-villa doesn’t need to level up just one Black queen at a time. There’s plenty of room for many.
The entertainment world has a habit of making Black success a one-at-a-time-only game. Fans and the media have spent years comparing Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, pitting Megan Thee Stallion against Cardi B or, back in the day, choosing sides between Michael Jackson and Prince. There’s even a little joke about that rivalry in the hit film Michael.
If there’s any comparison to be made, it’s how Love Island USA has become one of the few dating reality series where Black women have not only emerged as fan favorites, but morphed into influencers, brand ambassadors and the subjects of cultural conversations that extend far beyond the villa.
Maybe it’s because we see their evolution over several weeks in real time. Maybe it’s because we connect with them as they strip down physically and mentally during the game. Maybe it’s because we get to have a small say in how this crazy summer experiment plays out for them. Whatever it is, we should embrace the fact that the show is opening doors for Black women, not just one, for post-villa success.
When Love Island USA first started, we wondered whether a Black woman could win the franchise. Today, multiple Black women are leaving the villa with devoted fan bases, brand partnerships and careers that extend well beyond the show. That’s real progress.
Black success doesn’t have to be a crown passed from one woman to the next. So let’s drop the comparisons and focus on what’s really worth celebrating: These women are getting the recognition and opportunities they deserve outside the villa. That’s what really counts.
Not who’s got the biggest follower numbers.
