‘I’m Not Crazy’

by

It’s rare to find a couple who choose to remain friends after reaching the final stage of Love Island, but Huda Mustafa is no ordinary Love Island contestant. At just 24 years old and a fitness trainer, she has captured fans’ hearts with her striking lashes, freckles, workout regimen, and status as a single mother – affectionately referred to by Nic Vansteenberghe (and now the world) as “mamacita.

In the whirlwind that was Hurricane Huda, I found myself embroiled in a storm of controversy following my explosive outburst towards Jeremiah Brown after he was coupled with Iris Kendall. My fellow viewers seemed to find amusement in the prospect of seeing me implode, but little did they know, their votes had set off a chain reaction that would leave me on the brink of elimination twice.

However, against all odds, my villa mates chose to save me, and I managed to navigate the treacherous waters of Love Island USA until I found myself in the final three. In a surprising turn of events, I ended up coupling with Chris Seeley from Casa Amor, and we finished an impressive third place together.

Just 72 hours after touching down in L.A., I sat down with Vulture to reflect on my journey – both within the villa and beyond its walls.

Over the last six weeks, it’s been a pleasure having me as your source of amusement, but let me clarify that it wasn’t intentional on my part; I was simply being true to myself and expressing my authentic personality.

How are you finding your transition after leaving the villa? Everything feels overwhelming in a positive sense. Upon entering the villa, your life undergoes a radical shift, and upon exiting, it transforms dramatically once again. There’s an endless list of responsibilities: ensuring my family is well, attending numerous meetings, and giving several interviews. I am deeply grateful; it surpasses anything I could have ever envisioned.

Are you still in LA? Have you been socializing with the group lately? While I’ve been spending a lot of time with Amaya, we’re all mostly pursuing our individual activities at the moment. To be honest, I’m quite content staying home. I haven’t been going out much, even before the villa, I was usually at home. Will I go out eventually? Most likely. But it’s not something I feel compelled to do right now, especially since going to clubs and such isn’t really my thing. Even though many people are going out, it just doesn’t appeal to me.

In my recent adventure, I stumbled upon an extraordinary sight – fans eagerly awaiting my arrival at the airport in Fiji! The excitement was palpable as they called out my name and jumped up and down with pure joy. It took me by surprise, leaving me both awestruck and amused. From “Huda!” to heartfelt greetings, each encounter was a delightful reminder of the impact I’ve made on people. Even a passing car driver recognized me, yelling my name, while an Amazon worker expressed their admiration for me in just five short minutes. It’s truly humbling and amazing to know that my presence can bring such happiness to others – I couldn’t be more grateful for this unique experience!

Given that you had the highest number of Instagram followers among all cast members, how does that make you feel?
To be honest, it took me by surprise because inside I was thinking, “Wow, people must really dislike me.” Of course, there are those who do, and their opinions matter. But in the villa, I anticipated a lot more negativity than what I received upon leaving. It was a delightful surprise. It felt like recognition for everything I experienced. Seeing so much love and support made me feel validated, appreciated, and affirmed that people care about me and see the good in me. That’s what matters most.

It appears there have been falsified videos featuring an AI version of me discussing a particular brand of perfume named Lattafa. Have you come across such videos? Just to clarify, those videos are not authentic. Truth be told, I’m unfamiliar with the product in question. Within the villa, it was my lotion and personal scents that were popular among the residents, as they admired my unique fragrance. Many of the male contestants would praise my scent. To be honest, I use a variety of products to maintain my personal scent. I dislike it when people mimic my smell, so I always ensure to switch things up and wear different items. For instance, someone might say, “I also use that perfume.” To which I respond, “Well, yes, but I use several other scents and various body lotions as well.” My regimen is quite extensive, and I aim for a unique fragrance.

In the villa, they might say, “I caught a whiff of your fragrance in the bathroom, I could tell you had just been there.” Or, “May I borrow your perfume? My partner enjoys your scent and I’d love to share it with him.” I recall when everyone purchased the lotion that you own distinctly.

What kind of lotion are you referring to? It’s a Fijian lotion with a Noni fragrance. It’s quite pricey when bought outside of Fiji. It has an amazing scent, doesn’t it?

How did you manage to keep your eyelashes on during those tough times? Well, many times I found myself patting my eye, and I had to reapply them quite a bit because there wasn’t much time for extensive application. I learned to do it quickly. After challenges, there were instances where I couldn’t redo them, so I ended up with milky, less-than-ideal lashes. At times, I tried using conditioner to fix them and blow-dry them, but I primarily use clusters. It seems the way I apply them is what makes them last longer. I believe that’s what keeps them going strong.

Have you managed to catch any episodes from the season so far? I only got around to see the final one. Honestly, my schedule hasn’t allowed much leisure time for watching. Perhaps in the future. To be honest, I’m a bit anxious that I might find some content disturbing.

Reflecting on it now, what are your thoughts on the events that transpired at the villa? It seems there were some incidents not portrayed on screen which might have altered the overall impression. I’ve always been confident in my identity, and there are people both inside the villa and in my real life who know me well enough to say, “That’s not her, that’s not how she behaves. There must be a reason for her actions.” In reality, I don’t lose my temper easily by shouting at someone without cause. It takes a significant trigger for me to raise my voice. I consider myself quite calm and composed. Additionally, I am not constantly monitoring someone’s location, though perhaps I might have done so in the past. Nowadays, I’m not overly concerned if my partner goes out. I am not the type of person who gets worked up saying, “Oh my God, my man can’t go to the club.” That’s just not me.

At the villa, various circumstances influenced my responses significantly. My actions were shaped by specific situations and my emotional state at the time, which stemmed from fear and pain. There were behind-the-scenes events that weren’t visible on screen that contributed to my behavior. I believe these underlying tensions became evident later in the season. It took a great deal of personal turmoil for me to reach that critical point.

To clarify the basis for your response towards Jeremiah, could you please explain some instances where his behavior was evident, such as love bombing and mistreatment, which were also noticed by others? In the early stages, you recognized these signs, but it wasn’t until you observed him treating other women similarly that you understood, “Wow, I’m not losing my mind. This is exactly what he was doing.” Other women too, were getting deceived by his actions. His words had an impact on how you felt, like when he claimed he wasn’t possessive but then acted possessively, and when he encouraged you to do more, only for it to be considered excessive later on.

On occasion, I find myself unintentionally expressing “I love you.” In many instances, I find myself blurting it out to people as I part ways, such as, “I love you, bye!” Given the fragility of life, I believe every goodbye could be our last encounter. I’ve expressed my affection for everyone—except men in a romantic sense, of course, like those I meet for the first time. However, it had been quite some time since I interacted with someone on a personal level, and I had just left my family. I made a few mistakes along the way, but I quickly realized them. I thought, “Oh, crap! I didn’t mean to do that!” It wasn’t deliberate, but when we were off-camera, especially in bed, he would often respond, “I love—I like you.” Although it may not have been shown on camera, he did this so frequently that I thought, “Wow, I might be falling for this man!” And looking back, it seems to me that it was a form of love bombing.

In Love Island, there’s always a psychologist available on set. Did you find these sessions helpful? Could you share some insights about those discussions?
To clarify, it wasn’t that I was compelled to visit the psychologist due to any kind of mandate or concern about my mental stability. Instead, I chose to attend sessions when I felt it was beneficial for me. It wasn’t a daily occurrence; it might have been twice a week sometimes, and other times once a week. There was never any threat that if I didn’t behave appropriately, I would be removed from the show. The decisions I made and the way I acted were always my own. I sought these sessions because I wanted to improve myself.

In times when I found myself unable to discuss issues or emotions with anyone else in the villa, psychotherapy proved incredibly beneficial. It served as a safe space for me to explore my thoughts, feelings, and even try to comprehend why I think the way I do. I truly appreciated those therapy sessions, but they weren’t something I required daily.

Were there whispers about you potentially being removed from the program? Have you ever been involved in discussions regarding this matter? To clarify, no one has ever communicated to me that I would be leaving the show. In fact, it was consistently emphasized how valued I was. Frankly, it seems preposterous for anyone to suggest such a thing, and I believe it’s more productive for people to focus their energy on more meaningful pursuits.

Was the response you received on social media after getting your phone back something you expected? To be completely honest, I paid more attention to the positives than the negatives. I honestly don’t let negativity bother me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so if someone doesn’t like me, it’s just not for them. Woo-woo. Everything’s good. Thank goodness. Cool. Great. Your feelings are valid. But for those who support me, I truly appreciate it and wish I could give each one of you a hug during this entire experience. I feel the need to protect all of you. You all are like my children to me. I love every single one of you so much. If you focus on positive things, positive things will happen in your life. If you focus on negative things, negative things will happen.

Have you noticed an increase in your online fitness coaching business lately? It seems like everyone’s adopting my booty workout routine, which is amazing! I feel thrilled about it because from a flat pancake to a plump cupcake, I’ve seen my own transformation. It’s heartening to see people achieving results using that routine. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to contribute positively in some way!

Which moment from the entire experience stands out the most to you? Well, it was certainly when I got to talk to my daughter. It was something I had been longing for throughout the entire period. I found myself saying things like, “Can I just take a photo of her? Can I get something that reminds me of her?” Every day, I would cry off camera because I missed her so much. It wasn’t easy, but I didn’t want anyone to see me crying, so I would wipe my tears and step back out to continue with the task at hand.

This moment brought back the purpose of my presence, as it feels like I’ve traveled such a long distance without simply wasting my efforts. Reflecting on my roots, my identity, my role as a mother, and striving to be a role model – all of these aspects resonated deeply with me.

When do you think you’ll let her watch the show?
When she’s of age and can make her own decisions.

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2025-07-17 00:55