“Mommy? Mamacita,” “We don’t want to do that though,” and “I pick Clarke.” If any of these iconic one-liners sounds familiar, chances are you’ve been roped into the intrigue of “Love Island” season seven, a season that captured viewers' attention with its diverse reality-TV characters and sizzling drama.
“Love Island” originally began as “Love Island UK,” which premiered in 2015—the American version first aired in 2019. The show follows a group of contestants, referred to as islanders, who spend their summer in a luxurious villa in Fiji with one goal: to find love. To survive the show’s elimination-style rounds, the islanders must couple up with another contestant and try to build a genuine connection. At the end of the season, fans of the series vote for their favorite couple, who receive a $100,000 cash prize.
But the path to love is not always a simple journey. Whether it is recouplings, where the islanders must choose if they want to remain with their current partner or swap them for another islander; bombshells, new contestants who come in periodically throughout the show and test existing relationships; or heartbreaking eliminations, it’s as much about surviving the villa’s curveballs as it is about finding love.
This season in particular had a 39% increase in viewership from the sixth season, which was already considered a hit. Junior Sara Cutinho, who watched both of the recent “Love Island” seasons, said, “Season seven was more successful because producers teased extra drama on TikTok, drawing fans in and sparking curiosity.”
The show’s success is largely due to the contestants, who consistently filled fans’ TV screens with dramatic, unforgettable moments. One of the most talked-about and controversial contestants was Huda Mustafa, a single, self-proclaimed “Mamacita” who was not afraid to make a scene upon entering the villa. From the moment she became an islander, America had a love-hate relationship with Huda due to her unprecedented crashouts and territorial behavior over Jeremiah Brown, the man she was originally coupled up with at the beginning of the show.
When bombshell Iris Kendall arrived, Huda and Jeremiah were already experiencing challenges in their relationship, leading viewers to seize the moment by voting to couple Iris with Jeremiah in an effort to break apart the former toxic pairing. The fallout was immediate, sparking what both islanders and fans soon named “Hurricane Huda.”
Upper School English teacher Kailey Cole is a passionate, self-proclaimed “Huda hater.”
“I struggled with Huda’s impact on the mental health of those around her,” Ms. Cole said. “I think she has a lot of maturing and healing to do before she is ready for a relationship, and it was hard at times to remain sympathetic toward her when she was treating others so poorly.”
On the flip side, America’s heart was won over by the “sensitive gangsta” of the season, more commonly known by her nickname of Amaya “Papaya” Espinal. From day one, Amaya’s authenticity and humor resonated with viewers—whether it was her hysterical crying when the villa was forced to eliminate a contestant, or her mispronunciation of words like “anxiety,” she always wore her heart on her sleeve. Sophomore Cecily Daly said, “I love Amaya because she shows the world that they can be their authentic self and still find a person who appreciates [them] for who [they are].”
Amaya’s overwhelming support she received on social media carried her to victory, making her and her partner, Bryan Arenales, the season’s winners. However, their romance quickly fizzled outside the villa, with the pair splitting up less than a month after leaving Fiji. Likewise, Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia, another couple who reached the final four, ended their relationship shortly after the show; soon after their split, rumors began circulating online that Pepe had cheated on Iris.
The breakups of fan-favorite couples have led viewers to question the legitimacy of these relationships and whether the contestants are there for love or for fame. Senior Sienna Meyers, who passionately supported Pepe and Iris before their split, expressed her disappointment with Pepe. “If he did cheat on her, that is disgusting, but it makes me happy to see people from the show backing Iris up through Instagram reposts,” she said. “I would hate to imagine that Pepe went on the show for publicity, because I know Iris would not have [done that].”
“Love Island USA” is not only about the romances formed under the Fiji sun, but also in the strong fanbase that follows every twist and fuels the drama both inside and outside the villa. While couples may fade, the laughs, heartbreak, and unforgettable one-liners are what make Love Island so special and why fans are already counting down the days until next summer’s season.
