Nicolandria was just a dream for fans in Season 7 of Love Island USA. That dream became reality once, through a domino effect of circumstance, Nicolas “Nic” Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen coupled together near the end of the season’s run and finished in second place.
With a devoted fanbase rooting for them, the real test comes now, outside of the villa. Fans always said they had eyes for each other, despite Nic being paired with Cierra Ortega before she departed from the villa, and Olandria being with Taylor Williams.
In a post-finale cast interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, the duo breaks down their Soul Ties kiss, reacts to TikToks about their “son” Marcel, debunks a fan theory and talks about next steps in their connection.
The interview below has been edited and condensed for clarity. You can view the full video above, which includes what Nic and Olandria say about the Marcel TikToks and talk about a fan theory about a necklace swap.
The die-hard Nicolandria fans say that y’all were lying. I don’t want to use the term lying, but everyone keeps going back to the Soul Ties kiss and believe you were lying that there was no spark. In that moment, do you really feel there was no spark between you two, or did these extenuating circumstances have to happen for something to click inside your heads?
Nic: I agree with you. I don’t think it was lying. I just think it was a misinterpretation of our own vocab. But internally, it’s like we knew there was something there, but also externally, her being with Taylor and me being with Cierra, those doors were still open, and we still had those strong connections. And so I think at that time, we weren’t able to fully invest into one another just yet.
Olandria: I feel like in that moment, I don’t know, I feel like I owe Cierra so much, and Taylor to a sense. I know it was perceived as if me and Taylor were never on good terms — we were. But yeah, I feel like I owe them so much because I know Taylor’s Nic’s best friend, and Cierra was mine. So I’m just like, “You know what? I don’t know. I feel guilty in a sense.” I don’t know. I just feel guilty, and I was like, “I don’t want to admit to me feeling this part.” I feel like that’s going to be a whole ‘nother can of worms I didn’t want to open.
Nic: But when you’re watching the playback of the Soul Ties, I feel like a video’s worth 1,000 words.
Olandria: I didn’t realize. And they call it the kiss that we heard around the world. I’m like, “Damn.”
Nic: That’s deep.
Olandria: I look back, I’m like, “Dang, that was a spicy kiss.” Watching it back, yes, but at the time, I’m like, “Oh, OK.” I was like, “Oh, this is nothing.” But watching it back, it was very passionate. I didn’t realize that in the moment, how passionate it was.
Olandria, you and Chelley both have been a beacon of representation for Black women, especially dark-skinned Black women, and Black people in general root for you so hard. What did it mean to search for love on your own terms, and at the same time, be applauded for that?
Olandria: It feels great. Obviously, I was out of my comfort zone. I’ve never really necessarily put myself out there, like, “Hey, this is how I feel about you. This is how I feel about the connection.” That was a lot for me because in the real world, you probably would’ve never gotten that out of me. But I didn’t want to go into Love Island — I didn’t want to go into the villa, being the old me. I wanted to grow as a woman so I could just be this well-rounded woman for my husband one day. It’s like, you know what? I can’t go in with old habits. Let’s step into a new light.
Usually in the real world, I will get someone cut off quick and will have another one immediately after, but I didn’t want to be that. I was like, “You know what? It’s going to be obstacles. Let me just work through those things and let me just try to find the value in a connection and just continue to work through those obstacles to make our connection stronger.” That’s the viewpoint I had. And putting myself out there and letting Taylor know how I felt about him as an individual and us as a couple, it was a lot for me. But I’m glad I did it because I learned so much about myself in that moment, and I learned that I am capable of, I guess, expressing my feelings in that sense. So it was beautiful.
There were a lot of outside variables, so to speak, but what do you both think was that moment where you realized that this could work, and you were in a different mindset — where it isn’t just strictly platonic?
Nic: So, I always say it’s the baby challenge for me — that was a big moment. But also, I think it was my favorite conversation. One of my favorite conversations I’ve had with Olandria was that “all you can feel,” which is that yellow couch where we’re talking about football, and we’re talking about life outside of the villa. And for me, that was so refreshing. Because yeah, it is nice to talk about your feelings and stuff, but to have those real-world conversations where you’re connecting on a level of what your interests are and where we could see ourselves in the future, I think those are the most beautiful kind of conversations.
Everyone is excited now that you’re outside the villa and for what things may happen now. You’ve only been in the real world for a few days now, but what does it look like for you to move forward and branch out within your connection?
Olandria: So next step right now is me flying to Florida and hanging with Ms. Jennifer and the family, and bringing Nic over to Decatur, Alabama, to meet my family. And from there, I think it would put it into perspective of what the future would look like for us. I know we met them for a split second in the villa, but I think actually being there in the moment, in the real world, at each other’s houses — I feel like that’ll really put into perspective of how the future will look for us, for sure. Because we’re both big on family, so.
Nic: I want to do some traveling as well with her. I know people are excited for travel vlogs and stuff. I’m going to take her skydiving. We’re going to do some crazy s**t, for sure.
Love Island USA Season 7 is now streaming in full on Peacock. The reunion special for the season airs next month.
