Welcome to the first Pop Culture article for TCV!
This week’s topics include Love Island USA Season 7 (and its viewership), Sabrina Carpenter’s VMA performance, and a new Hollywood couple.
Starting with the messiest recent show, the last season of Love Island USA was chaotic. From Hurricane Huda to Nicolandria to the mean girl narrative, we had a few things to say about the characters on this season. Since Season 6 of Love Island USA, there has been a surge in viewership for this Peacock show. Some viewers are long familiar with this show’s history, due to the original, Love Island UK (the superior island, IMHO). Due to the increased viewership of the show, there is increased speculation about the contestants’ true intentions for joining the show.
At this point, anyone who gains a spot on Love Island is guaranteed an increase in followers on social media. In the last few years, well-liked contestants who have a strong presence on the show sometimes gain millions of followers while they are still in the villa. Although this following is seemingly the reason many of the contestants go on the show, the platform comes with constant and brutal speculation.
Due to the magnifying lens on everyone in the villa, as well as the producers’ intentional editing of the show, this season, certain contestants were portrayed as villains or mean girls. Although it is fun to speculate on personalities and relationships within the villa, and can even be an interesting sociological case study for viewers, some of the contestants face heinous hate on social media once they get their phones back after leaving the villa.
From this season, Chelley and Olandria specifically were forced to endure horrific racist commentary from certain viewers’ opinions on them. These two women spoke on this issue at the reunion aired in late August and were able to shed light on how discriminatory comments on social media are affecting real people, themselves included. However, this conversation did not solve the issue, and the cyber hate that islanders face post-villa is genuinely alarming. There is much more to be said about this season, including: Huda’s lack of accountability, Hannah’s switch up from Charlie to Pepe (and then Pepe’s switch-up from Hannah to Iris), Ace’s defensiveness, Zak’s gaslighting, Amaya’s genuinity, and so much more. Remember to be kind—your digital footprint is permanent!
On a lighter note, a new Hollywood couple has emerged from thin air. The intelligent and beautiful Zoë Kravitz and talented, handsome Harry Styles are allegedly dating! Pictures of them holding hands were published this week, confirming their relationship (RIP Zoe x Channing btw).
Sabrina Carpenter performed her new song “Tears” from her feather-ruffling new album Man’s Best Friend at the VMAs this week. Other than the spectacular, provocative song, her performance was full of talent and support for the trans community. The performance was similar to the newly-released “Tears” music video, which is Rocky Horror-esque and filled with drag queen performances. Additionally, during the performance, the backup dancers for Sabrina held up multiple signs promoting the rights of transgender people.
