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Olandria Carthen has moved quickly from life in Houston to the glare of mainstream attention. The Alabama-born personality who rose to fame on Love Island USA now juggles fashion moments, brand deals and a growing platform that many see as a rare win for dark-skinned Black women in reality TV.
From reluctant contestant to breakout star
Carthen says she turned down Peacock’s offer to audition for Love Island USA twice before finally accepting on the third approach. At the time she was newly independent, working in sales for an elevator company and reluctant to introduce herself to a national audience.
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Season 7 changed that trajectory. The series became Peacock’s most-watched original season ever, with more than 18.4 billion minutes streamed, and Carthen’s friends-to-lovers storyline with Nic Vansteenberghe emerged as one of the season’s defining arcs. By the finale, the pair finished as runners-up and Carthen had more than 2 million followers across platforms.
Turning reach into a platform
Rather than returning to a steady paycheck, Carthen used her post-show momentum to build a team and a strategy. She says the first public appearances she accepted were at schools and colleges, where she has hosted sold-out talks focused on education and opportunity.
That decision, she explains, reflects a wider aim: to create multiple career avenues beyond social media, with ambitions that include acting and business ownership.
Fashion as a lever
Style has played a clear role in her rise. Since leaving the Villa, Carthen has walked for Sergio Hudson, appeared at the VMAs and Golden Globes, and inspired a collaboration with designer Brandon Blackwood that reportedly sold out in ten minutes. Those moments, she says, helped shift public conversation about her from reality-TV contestant to a fashion presence.
Celebrities have noticed. Zendaya publicly expressed admiration for Carthen, and she says messages and encouragement from artists such as JT, Ciara, Kehlani, Ryan Destiny and Chlöe Bailey made her feel welcomed into a different circle of influence.
Devoted fans and the cost of visibility
Carthen’s supporters—known as the Nicolandria Nation and the Ola Dolls—have shown fervent loyalty. They bought a Times Square billboard for her 28th birthday and campaigned for high-profile editorial moments.
That loyalty, she notes, grew partly in response to online attacks. “Dark-skinned Black women are dragged all the time and no one comes to the rescue. They have to advocate for themselves because no one feels like they’re important enough,” Carthen says. She credits her fans for stepping in when comments turn abusive, while also trying to protect her own mental health by ignoring corrosive noise.
On handling negativity, she puts it bluntly: “I’m going to be like Beyoncé with the BS—I’m not going to respond if it’s negative.”
Privacy, relationships and normalcy
Carthen and Nic have kept much of their relationship away from constant monetization. She stresses the importance of private time, describing ordinary dates—movie theaters, dinners, downtime at his Florida home—and small moments like a motorcycle ride filmed by a family member’s drone.
When pressed about public speculation over their status, she questions the obsession. “Why does it matter if me and Nic are together? Why are you so invested in people that don’t know you?” she asks, framing privacy as necessary for their well-being.
Controlling the narrative going forward
Carthen is open to returning to reality TV—but on her terms. She wants creative control and says she would like to executive-produce future projects so Black women aren’t reduced to caricatures. More broadly, she sees her next steps as building businesses, acquiring property and launching a scholarship fund.
“I want to be a household name,” she says, adding that the progress of the past months feels like only the beginning.
Lead image: All clothing and shoes Gucci. Styled by Jessica Neises. Hair by Sy Monroe for Sy Monroe Collection. Makeup by Ernest Robinson III at OPUS Beauty. Manicure by Mamie Onishi for Aprés Nail. Special thanks to Veloce Picture Cars.
