Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales were crowned the winners of Love Island USA Season 7, walking away with the $100,000 prize and making history as the first Latino couple to win the show. Their win, however, has left fans divided. While many celebrated Amaya for her authenticity, confidence and consistency throughout the season, others felt Bryan didn’t contribute equally to the relationship and that Amaya had essentially carried them to victory.
In the final, four couples remained: Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen (affectionately called “Nicolandria” by viewers) finished in second place, with Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley taking third and Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia in fourth. The finale included emotional speeches, with Amaya delivering a heartfelt message about staying true to oneself and never settling. Bryan, who had joined the villa during Casa Amor, pulled the winning envelope and chose to split the prize money with Amaya – a decision that earned him some praise, though not enough to quiet criticism from some viewers who questioned the couple’s chemistry and Bryan’s sincerity.
The season itself wasn’t short on controversy. Two contestants were removed earlier due to the resurfacing of racist social media posts, which left a sour taste for many fans. Just before the finale, an awkward exchange between Huda and Chris also caused a stir, as viewers sensed tension and discomfort between the pair.
Despite the drama, the finale episode drew impressive numbers, with over a billion viewing minutes recorded in its final week. Many viewers, particularly those who backed Nic and Olandria, were vocal about their disappointment, calling it one of the “worst finales ever” and claiming the fan-favourite couple had been robbed.
@people #LoveIslandUSA's #ChelleyBissainthe and #AceGreene are setting the record straight on those "hilarious" rumors that the pair were a couple before the show — and she *also* reveals that Ace wasn’t the only Islander she knew before coming into the #villa. 👀 #LoveIsland #LoveIslandSeason7 #aceloveisland #chelleyloveisland ♬ Pop beat BGM / long version(1283324) - nightbird_bgm
Still, the win for Amaya and Bryan was a landmark moment for the series, and attention now turns to the upcoming reunion, set to air on 25 August and hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen. With Love Island Games returning in September, the drama is far from over, and fans are already wondering whether this season’s most talked-about couple will be back for more.
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