Taylor Williams’ decision to couple up with bombshell Clarke Carraway in Episode 22 of Love Island USA sparked controversy in the villa. Before the original group of women left for Casa Amor, Taylor had spent the first few weeks of the show building a connection with Olandria Carthen. But when the 25-year-old met Clarke, he felt a spark immediately.
Upon returning to the villa, Taylor chose to pursue Clarke over Olandria, resulting in a falling-out with Olandria during the “Stand On Business” challenge in Episode 26. Though tensions were high, Taylor and Clarke tell Elite Daily that the other islanders encouraged their relationship.
Nobody was mad at me for my decision.
“Everyone in the villa saw how happy I was, and they supported my decision,” Taylor says. “Nobody was mad at me for my decision. Everybody came up to me and said they saw why I picked Clarke.”
He lists Ace Greene, Pepe Garcia, and Chelley Bissainthe as islanders who affirmed his choice to couple up with the 24-year-old. “Even Chelley, Olandria’s best friend, was like, ‘I’ve never seen you this happy before,’” he says. “Pepe also had a conversation with Clarke and told me that he saw why I picked Clarke. And Ace helped me out with the whole Olandria situation. So without Ace, it would’ve been real tough.”
Unfortunately for the couple, they were dumped from the island in Episode 32 based on an audience vote, just moments after becoming exclusive. This didn’t surprise them. “I wasn’t shocked by it because America didn’t see everything we’d done up to that moment,” Taylor says. Clarke adds, “I was hoping that it wouldn’t be the case, but I wasn’t shocked at all.”
After their dumping, fans took to social media to question why the only closed-off couple was sent home. Taylor and Clarke have the same thoughts. “Everybody else, except for Ace and Chelley, had just met each other and coupled up that same week,” he says. “It’s unfair that we were definitely one of the strongest connections in the villa and got sent home.”
While Taylor and Clarke were voted off the island, they have no regrets about their time on the show. “I made my decision, and I stood on it and I still stand on it,” Taylor says. Their connection is still strong in the real world, and they’re already making plans to split their time between Taylor’s farm in Oklahoma and Clarke’s life in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“She’s gonna be a little rodeo cowgirl,” he jokes. Clarke is down to try new things. “I’ve never been to a rodeo, so I’m excited. I’m forcing him to live the city life with me after the rodeo,” she says.
The couple is ready to write their own love story on their terms and “move the hell along.”
