Love Island USA's Olandria Details New Chapter After Show
Olandria Carthen is bringing her bombshell flair into her own villa.
Nearly two months after the Love Island USA alum revealed she'd bought her first home, she detailed entering the exciting next chapter of her life following her time on the show last summer.
"I've always wanted to be a homeowner. I never imagined myself becoming a homeowner so soon," she told E! News in an exclusive interview at the 2026 BET Awards. "It's so funny. Right after I graduated college, I actually met with the realtor that I bought my house [from]. I met with her trying to look at all the details of how to buy a home, how to go about it. Mind you, my bank account was at zero."
"When I actually had the money in my account, I went back to that same realtor," she continued. "I said, 'Hey, I got it now. I'm really ready to buy a house.'"
Olandria—who was the season seven runner-up alongside her costar Nic Vansteenberg—described the experience as a "full circle moment."
"Being able to own something and call it mine feels so good," she explained. "I work so much, I really don't have time to spend much of my money. So to look at a home like, 'I actually own you, you're mine.' It's such a great feeling."
As for when the 28-year-old knew her new home was the one for her, she said, "It was just so beautiful. All of the natural light that comes into it. It's two stories. It's gorgeous."
And while Olandria shared that her style is "modern" and "contemporary," she wants to get creative with the interior design of her home.
"My favorite color is pink, so I want to add some fun," she explained, "whether that's some color or shapes. This is actually mine now, so I don't have to do what everyone else is doing for to be aesthetically pleasing or anything."
While announcing the news of her big purchase last month, the TV personality admitted that it was an emotional moment.
"Still trying to process that this is real," she captioned a May 9 TikTok, which featured footage of her celebrating her new home, along with a video of her crying in the car. "So many tears, prayers, long nights, sacrifices, and moments of uncertainty led to this chapter. Through it all, God never stopped providing, guiding, and making a way. This home is more than a milestone it's a reminder that faith, patience, and hard work truly pays off. Forever grateful for this journey and so excited to create new memories here. God first in every season."
And as she stepped out for the 2026 BET Awards, Olandria—who stunned in a yellow gown—is continuing to feel immense gratitude.
"It feels amazing," she told E! News about becoming an influential figure after Love Island. "I always knew I had a gift to share with the world, and I'm actually so grateful that I'm being able to do that with my lovely platform that I have and my amazing supporters. I'm glad people are taking to it well."
To see who else turned heads at culture's biggest night, read on.
—Reporting by Sharon Carpenter
eonline
