Whereas this summer time’s “Love Island” noticed Jess and Sammy take the crown, the unofficial queen of the present was arguably runner-up, Whitney Adebayo. The London-based Islander received audiences over together with her no-nonsense strategy to like and friendship, and is taking her new-found fame in her stride.
Not solely is she decided to be her genuine self on her social channels, she’s rebranding her profitable wig enterprise, launched her personal present on YouTube, and continues to be efficiently in a relationship with fellow Islander Lochan Nowacki 4 months on (sadly, winners Jess and Sammy weren’t meant to be).
“It is a huge transition for each of us as a result of we’re very low key,” she tells POPSUGAR as we sit down for a chat to make amends for all issues in Whitney’s world. “We’re principally on the identical journey, however completely different journeys.” Her bond with Lochan has proved any skeptics mistaken, as the 2 typically share cute social media clips (“he is in his TikTok period”, she says) as they navigate life outdoors of the villa.
“It’s laborious. It is a steadiness,” she says. “Balancing relationships and dealing as a result of it generally blurs.” Similar to the Whitney we adopted over the summer time, she is eager to remain true to herself and hold her personal life in addition to sharing elements with Lochan, “Individuality is certainly key, however I really feel like we’re doing nicely. Balancing the merge and the individuality.”
Whitney’s confident persona is infectious. With a refreshingly assured angle, she claims she will get her direct strategy from her mum. “I simply do not actually consider in mendacity. I am a nasty liar. I am a very unhealthy liar,” she says. Her angle, which noticed some explosive moments within the villa with different Islanders, even obtained her coining her personal catchphrase: “It is giving . . .”
Being snug in her personal pores and skin is her character, and it interprets into physique confidence, too. Spending the summer time in a bikini in a villa that airs to hundreds of thousands of individuals takes a certain quantity of self-love, and she or he’s nailed a constructive mindset. “Nobody truly cares,” she says. “It is like if you go to the fitness center, if you first begin a fitness center, you suppose everybody’s taking a look at you when the truth is everybody thinks about their very own targets. Persons are fairly egocentric.” She provides, “I really feel prefer it all simply goes again to embracing your self and realizing who you’re.”
“I really feel prefer it all simply goes again to embracing your self and realizing who you’re.”
Relating to her personal endeavours, she’s eager to solely tackle alternatives that really feel genuine. She might have adopted within the footsteps of her fellow fast-fashion Islanders right into a vogue deal – Jess has a set with Within the Fashion, Ella Thomas signed with Fairly Little Factor, and Leah Taylor has grow to be an envoy for Boohoo – however that is not the trail Whitney needs to take. “I do know folks anticipate me to do what regular folks do after they come out of “Love Island”, however that is not me,” she says. “So I am solely gonna do issues that align with who I naturally am.”
A type of issues is her wig model, CC Hair. Maybe one of many causes Whitney is so snug in her personal pores and skin is that she had a profitable ardour mission previous to showing on the present. “I really like my Afro, nevertheless it’s a protecting type,” she tells us. “I began my model in college. My ex informed me to get a interest and I simply began it as a result of it was one thing to do.”
It might have had humble beginnings, nevertheless it’s clear to see that is one thing Whitney is enthusiastic about. With a relaunch within the pipeline, she needs to unfold consciousness of the human-hair wig trade, make them extra accessible, and guarantee it will get the respect it deserves. On high of this, Whitney has her sights set on a presenting profession. She lately launched her new sequence, “What’s It Giving?” on YouTube, the place she breaks down life dilemmas, which she hopes will proceed to develop.
Like her fellow Islanders, she left the villa to a notoriety that only a few folks can say they’ve skilled, however for those who suppose Whitney is prone to lose herself to fame, then you definitely’re very a lot mistaken. She prides herself in surrounding herself with the family and friends she had earlier than she went on the present, and her inside circle just isn’t one thing she takes evenly. “If I say you are my pal, I imply like dictionary definition. Lots of people say it prefer it’s fairly lighthearted. Lots of people do not imply it after they say pal, however I am like, if I say you are my pal, I imply it,” she says. You understand what? It is giving . . . loyal.
Picture Supply: Gavin Glave
