Olandria Carthen made sure her 28th birthday was one to remember. The Love Island USA star spent the weekend celebrating with friends, fashion, and plenty of unforgettable moments, showing fans exactly why she continues to be one of reality television’s favorite breakout stars.
The birthday festivities kicked off with Olandria looking stunning in an ethereal gold dress that immediately caught attention across social media. From the moment photos surfaced, fans couldn’t stop talking about the glamorous birthday look as she stepped confidently into another year.
The celebrations stretched across an entire weekend. Olandria enjoyed a yacht party, spent quality time with friends at home, and later headed out for a night on the town, where she was joined by friends and Nick. The festivities eventually made their way to Miami Beach hotspot Papi Steak, where the reality star gathered her inner circle on May 29 to celebrate her special day during one of the hottest weeks of the year.
As if the birthday celebrations weren’t enough, Olandria also found time to turn the occasion into a creative moment. After enjoying her weekend, she headed into the studio with friends and began working on a playful birthday anthem. The catchy refrain, “Put your hands up if you a bad b*tch!” quickly became another memorable highlight from her birthday festivities.
While celebrating another year, Olandria has also been reflecting on just how much her life has changed since appearing on Love Island USA Season 7. During a recent appearance on the House of Maher podcast, hosted by Olympian Ilona Maher, she opened up about her rapid rise to fame and admitted that none of it unfolded according to some carefully crafted plan.
About halfway through the conversation, Maher praised Olandria’s work ethic and noted that she seemed to be making all the right moves as her public profile continued to grow. Olandria responded with refreshing honesty.
“Not at all,” she said when asked whether her success had been part of a long-term strategy.
“I kind of went into this whole thing with low expectations, honestly, and I feel like that’s why every moment for me has been such a pinch-me moment,” she explained. “Because I had such low expectations.”
The model revealed that before leaving for the reality show, she was convinced she would return to her regular job shortly afterward. In fact, she was so certain that she asked her general manager to keep her position open.
“I literally sat my general manager down and was like, ‘Hey, can you please hold my position? I’ll probably be back in a few weeks,’” Olandria recalled. “That’s where my mind was. I loved my job, so I was like, ‘You know what? I’ll come back, no biggie.’ Then I got my phone back.”
Everything changed once she saw the response waiting for her after the show. With her Instagram following growing to more than two million followers, Olandria quickly realized that her life had taken a completely different direction. Rather than returning to her previous routine, she decided to fully pursue opportunities in fashion, beauty, and entertainment while building a team that aligned with her goals.
That journey made this birthday celebration feel even more meaningful. Surrounded by friends, dressed to impress, and embracing the opportunities that have come her way, Olandria celebrated 28 with the same gratitude and excitement she described on the podcast.
