JaNa Craig celebrates Free Slurpee Day and shares a heartfelt message for the Black women of ‘Love Island USA’
TheGrio...
“Love Island USA” alum JaNa Craig talks her 7-Eleven partnership, binge-watching Season 8 and why she’s proud of the Black women in the villa.
If you’re anything like me, this weekend is shaping up to be a two-part event: Slurpee in one hand, remote in the other, bracing myself for whatever chaos “Love Island USA” Season 8 has saved for its July 12 finale. And as it turns out, the universe (specifically, 7-Eleven’s marketing team) had the exact same idea. Ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Slurpee and this year’s national free Slurpee Day, 7-Eleven teamed up with “Love Island USA” season 6 alum, JaNa Craig, to commemorate the holiday.
We chatted with Craig ahead of the big day, and between talking flavor lore and villa nostalgia, we couldn’t help but land on Season 8, a season she’s been watching just like the rest of us, wondering which couples are gonna stand the tests of the villa.
“If I could rewind, like when people ask, ‘if you could do anything different, would you?’ I’m like I would ask Slurpee to bring a slushy machine, please, and have it on deck for us,” the “Love Island” star joked.
Like most people, 7/11 Slurpees were etched into Craig’s childhood, even as she grew up in Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan. While her flavor selections expanded far beyond the classic, cherry, Blue raspberry, and Coca-Cola flavors, the “Love Island USA” alum recalls going to the 7/11 across from her school regularly to get a taro-flavored Slurpee and Hawaiian snacks. And years later that hasn’t changed. With plans to binge the latest season of “Love Island UK” at the conclusion of season 8, she says her perfect binge routine includes a Slurpee, 7-Eleven snacks, and two days of uninterrupted time in the villa across the pond.
Now, at the time of our interview the season 8 villa was gearing up for what turned out to be an explosive Casa Amor, where numerous bombshells enter the villa to test existing connections. So, Craig admitted that she did not have any favorite couples or islanders yet. But, like any alum, she did give the girls in the villa their flowers with a sprinkle of advice.
“To the beautiful, amazing Black girls in the villa: I think that they’re doing great. I think that they’re expressing themselves well,” she shared. “I think that they’re doing a really good job representing us.”
She continued, “I know it takes a lot of courage to go out there. It’s harder than it looks, so I feel like if the supporters can go a little bit easier on them, that’d be great. But I’m proud of the girls. I’m very very proud of them. And it’s hot over there, so like to do the hair and makeup girl, I’m looking at them like ‘I know it’s hot. So I’m like, ‘girl, you’re doing great. I know how it is.’ But I’m rooting for them. I’m rooting for all the girls, but specifically, our Black queens. I think that they’re doing an amazing job.”
The world was first introduced to Craig in season 6, where she quickly became a fan favorite. Reflecting on her transition out of the villa, two years later, she is still at a loss for words.
“Our season was quite the breakout. When we got out of the villa, it was super, like, I don’t have the word surreal. I don’t know how to explain it…everyone just knowing your name, it’s really like not a jump scare, but [shocking]. But it was beautiful. It was great. You know what I mean?
But when we came out the villa, I was super grateful. It’s just an interesting thing when everyone knows you, and they think that they know you so well that they’re like, ‘I’m so sorry, but I feel like we’re sisters. Like, I know so much about you. I’m like, ‘Okay, like yeah, we could be sisters.’”
And while she admits the attention was a bit nerve-wracking, the pressures of being in the public eye did not faze her.
“I think it’s an honor that people look up to me and admire me, but in my personal life, I always try to compete with the person I was the day before. So, like, I hold myself to high standards, regardless. It’s not just like you know the world is looking up to me and expecting me to be great. I expect myself to be great in general. You know, I mean, I treat people the way I want to be treated. I think integrity is huge and very telling of people. Gratitude, I express it every day. My goal in life is to always remain humble, grateful, and just—I think it’s just such an honor that people look up to me and view me as a blueprint of anything. So even though I know I need to act right because there’s little black girls looking up to me, I, as an individual, know in life I need to act right. Just as a child of God, you know.”
And just as she’s been able to stay grounded throughout her time in the villa and beyond, she hopes that “Love Island USA” season 8 girls like Aniya, Melanie, Trinity, Kayda and more are able to do the same.
“My advice to the beautiful, amazing Black girls in the villa…I want to remind them of their beauty and of their worth, and that they should never ever settle for anything or anyone in life.”