The first fan vote of Love Island USA Season 8 finally arrived, and it did not disappoint. Episode 9, which aired on June 12, 2026, brought host Ariana Madix into the Fiji villa to deliver the results that viewers had been waiting for all week. The public vote introduced three new bombshells into existing couples, leaving three Islanders single and vulnerable.
One of those single Islanders, Beatriz Hatz, was sent home after a last-minute save by Corbin Mims. The episode delivered the drama fans expected, with tears, shock, and a major shakeup to the villa dynamics.
The Fan Vote That Crashed the App
The excitement for this moment was record-breaking. Peacock reported that the number of unique users on the Love Island USA app during the first vote of Season 8 was up nearly 350% compared to the first vote of Season 7.
In fact, the enthusiasm was so overwhelming that the app crashed on June 9, forcing producers to delay the results reveal from Thursday to Friday. The number of unique users on the app also exceeded Season 7’s all-time high (set during the finale) by over 1 million. This proves that Season 8 is already a massive hit for the streaming service.
The New Couples: America Speaks
Three bombshells entered the villa in Episode 6: Caleb McDaniel, Jen Terry, and Sol Myฬa. It was up to America to decide who they should couple up with. The results, announced by Ariana Madix in Episode 9, sent shockwaves through the villa.
- Caleb McDaniel coupled with Kenzie Annis: America decided that Caleb should pair up with Kenzie. This left Corbin Mims single and vulnerable. Kenzie and Caleb had been exploring a connection in previous episodes, and viewers clearly wanted to see where it would go.
- Jen Terry coupled with Gabriel Vasconcelos: Jen was paired with Gabriel, which immediately put Beatriz in the danger zone. Gabriel and Beatriz had been coupled up since early in the season, but America saw a spark with Jen.
- Sol Myฬa coupled with Sincere Rhea: The third bombshell, Sol, was paired with Sincere. This broke up the existing couple of Sincere and Melanie Moreno, leaving Melanie single and vulnerable. Fans were clearly eager to see Sol shake things up with Sincere, who had been growing closer to her.
The Couples Who Stayed Together
While the fan vote destroyed three couples, it left the other three pairings completely untouched. Aniya Harvey and KC Chandler, Bryce Dettloff and Trinity Tatum, and Zach Georgiou and Kayda Bosse all survived the vote and remain coupled up. These three pairs appear to be the strongest in the villa so far, at least in the eyes of the viewers.
The Elimination: Who Went Home?
After the fan vote was read, three Islanders found themselves standing alone and vulnerable: Corbin, Melanie, and Beatriz. With two women and one man left single, the power shifted to Corbin. He was given the choice to save one of the two women by coupling up with her.
Corbin ultimately chose to couple up with Melanie. He explained that they had chatted previously and shared a good connection. This decision left Beatriz as the only single person standing.
Ariana Madix then delivered the final blow: Beatriz was dumped from the island.
โDon’t cry you guys, I’m not dying,โ Beatriz said as she made her emotional exit.
Beatriz was a Day 1 Islander who started the season coupled up with Gabriel. Despite getting to know him, their connection wasn’t enough to save her once America intervened.
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Who Is Left in the Villa?
With Beatriz gone, the villa now has seven solid couples. The current lineup includes:
- Caleb McDaniel and Kenzie Annis
- Jen Terry and Gabriel Vasconcelos
- Sol Myฬa and Sincere Rhea
- Corbin Mims and Melanie Moreno
- Aniya Harvey and KC Chandler
- Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou
- Trinity Tatum and Bryce Dettloff
Thirteen Islanders remain in the game as the villa prepares for the next dramatic twist.
Also Read: Love Island USA: Aftersun โ Premiere Date, Hosts, and How to Stream the Weekly Recap Show
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