love island contestants are making how much?!
amaya papaya 4 prez
Hey fam and welcome back to dumb rich! Please forgive me for skipping last week. I was in Brooklyn for the actual 4th of July, and there’s something magical about watching Beyoncé’s Homecoming on Netflix while securing a hard-to-get dinner reservation because everyone else fled the city. Bless up.
Then I embarked on a full week in New England for a friends and family mashup vacation. Despite my usual pre-trip spiral (because the internet is my favorite place on Earth), we had a fantastic time. I also visited the one friend who, when apart we’re totally normal, but together? Completely insufferable (in the best way). Our other friends and husbands survived.
ALSOOOO I missed my charting moment!!! Are you even out here writing on Substack if you don’t miss the one time you’re “Rising” in your category? A canon event. Anyway, thank you for being so great. :D :D :D
I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Ariel went on vacation with zero other people who watch Love Island USA the week of the finale??? Is she slacking at her new job when she should be putting in overtime?”
Yes, you are correct. Listen, I didn’t plan to watch Love Island. I also didn’t know that would be finale week. I freaked out. I’m a first timer. I had no idea what I was in for. But one thing I do know for sure — I made it work. God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. Did I wake up an hour before everyone (toddlers included) just to keep up with my group chat? Yes. Yes, I did.
Did this even matter though? We all knew our Sensitive Gangsta, Amaya Papaya, was going to win. If she didn’t, it would’ve been a scam.
Anyway. For those of you not currently living through this cultural shift, let me break it down. The contestants go to Fiji, and it’s basically psychological warfare. You could not pay me to do this. They’re completely isolated — no phones, no clocks, just vibes and microphones — all in the name of "true love." A lot happens in between, most of which shattered what was left of my innocence, but this isn’t that kind of blog.
America eventually votes for the winning couple to receive $100,000. The twist? One person in the couple (randomly selected) has to decide whether to split the money or keep it for themselves — fuckiiiiiiiing nuts lol. Thankfully, Amaya and Bryan decided to split it. To top it off, they donated their $50K shares to charity. Legends only.
Sooo… what does this mean for Amaya’s financial future?
Before entering the villa, she was a cardiac nurse with a degree from LIU Brooklyn School of Nursing. According to Indeed, the average cardiac nurse salary in NYC is about $106,000. Great start.
She did however, make money on the show. Contestants on Love Island UK reportedly get paid around $500/week, so it’s safe to assume something similar for LIUSA. Not great. The $50,000 prize money Amaya won is a wash. Since she gave it away to charity, she also avoids any tax consequences there.
The real bag? Oh, it’s coming. Amaya now has nearly 3 million followers on Instagram and 3.1 million on TikTok. And yes, her personal email is still in her TikTok bio. LOL.
She hasn’t even started posting since getting her phone back, and she’s already gained millions of followers. For context: most contestants have teams or friends running their socials during filming, trying to build hype. Amaya? She just existed and America ate it up. She was even voted “Most Genuine” before winning. A marketing masterclass via authenticity.
Not only is she the winner, but she’s the clear fan favorite. Everyone is obsessed with her. When I google her, papayas fall from the screen.
Brands are circling. Poppi, for example, posted about an Amaya Papaya flavor. They have featured past Love Island stars in their commercials and even offered equity deals to major influencers — which paid off very well after they sold to Pepsi for nearly $2 billion. Could Amaya be next?
Now, let’s talk revenue streams. Influencers have three main sources of revenue:
Brand deals – She could command five (or six) figures per deal, especially long-term ones. My hope is she goes for fewer, high-quality partnerships with staying power.
TikTok views – The Creator Fund pays around $1.10 per 1,000 views (on 1+ minute videos). If we average her recent content at 7 million views on 12 videos, that’s 84 million views — and she wasn’t even posting consistently. The total payout on those videos alone would’ve been $92,400.
Her first post-villa live hit 10.3M likes. If she plays this right, she could pull in six figures a month just from TikTok depending on how often she posts.Affiliate links – Many brands offer 5–10% commissions on referred sales. With her reach, this could be a substantial income stream.
Bottom line: Amaya is set to out-earn her nursing salary in the short term, significantly. I hope she leverages this moment and sets herself up long-term — because America’s princess deserves the bag.
Alright, lastly I promised I’d be accountable for my No Buy July. I slipped up one time and got a Labubu. I know, I know. But honestly, it seemed like it was a SUPER rare opportunity as I have a friend with a connection. I do feel really guilty about it but honestly he’s so cute. My friends are definitely keeping me humble because they will never understand me, so please be nice :)
There are MANY MANY things that are tempting me that I’m resisting. First up, OBVIOUSLY Rhode launches an amazing new Summer Kit that I will be refraining from purchasing but crying about. I already own and swear by the Sleepy Girl Pocket Blush soooo I don’t *need* another similar blush even though the yellow lettering feels like I need it.
Also, the 4th of July sales were tempting. Here is a prime example of something I should NOT buy, but very much want to purchase. This Staud skirt is so cute and perfect to wear on vacation ONE TIME and then never wear again. SIGH. I will be holding back but if you’re not doing NBJ, it’s on sale. Go nuts. Also, I am staying at Le Bristol in Paris this summer and Sporty & Rich has a merch collab with them. These sweatpants are on sale. I previously would’ve taken this as a sign but I’m instead suffering in silence.
I did end up shopping my own closet more than I normally would’ve and received endless compliments on these jeans that I wore to a party with my neighbors. I brought a friend that probably thought I paid them to compliment me, but it was genuine! A win for NBJ.
Okay chat next week xoxoxoxo