She went viral for thriving after the split — who is Carmen Kocourek from Love Island USA

She went viral for thriving after the split — who is Carmen Kocourek from Love Island USA

Carmen Kocourek is an American model, social media influencer, and reality TV star who rose to prominence when she appeared on Love Island USA Season 5. Beyond her career, her personal life has hit the headlines multiple times, especially her relationships with fellow Islanders, Kenzo Nudo and Connor Newsum.

Carmen Kocourek
Carmen Kocourek smiles as she poses for a photo (L). The reality TV star looks on in a photo (R). Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Carmen Kocourek, an American reality TV star, model, and social media influencer, attained global fame when she appeared on the dating reality TV series Love Island USA Season 5.
  • She made a connection with fellow Islander Kenzo Nudo on the show and finished in fourth place. Their relationship ended in July 2024, about a year after exiting the villa.
  • Carmen Kocourek and Love Island USA Season 6 alum Connor Newsum announced their relationship in July 2025, and they are reportedly still together.

Profile summary

Full name

Carmen Elizabeth Kocourek

Gender

Female

Date of birth

21 April 2001

Age

25 years old (as of 2026)

Zodiac sign

Taurus

Place of birth

Franklin, Wisconsin, United States

Current residence

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Nationality

American

Ethnicity

White

Religion

Christianity

Sexuality

Straight

Height in feet

5'7"

Height in centimetres

170

Hair colour

Blue

Eye colour

Blonde

Mother

Connie Kocourek

Father

Matt Kocourek

Siblings

1

Relationship status

Dating

Partner

Connor Newsum

School

Franklin High School

College

Arizona State University

Profession

Reality TV personality, model, bartender, social media influencer

Instagram

@carmen_kocourek

TikTok

@carmenkocourek

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Carmen Kocourek’s background and early life

Carmen Kocourek from Love Island is the daughter of Connie and Matt Kocourek. She was born in Franklin, Wisconsin, United States, on 21 April 2001, making her 25 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Taurus.

Five facts about Carmen Kocourek
Five facts about Carmen Kocourek. Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Original

The Love Island USA star was raised alongside an older brother named Kyle Kocourek. Her father, Matt, was a professional race car driver, while her mother, Connie, is an oncology nurse.

Carmen reportedly attended Franklin High School, where she graduated in 2019. After high school, she enrolled at Arizona State University and pursued an undergraduate course in marketing with a minor in fashion. Kocourek resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she is a part-time model and bartender.

What does Carmen Kocourek do for a living?

Carmen Kocourek poses for a photo
Carmen Kocourek poses for a photo in front of a Christmas tree. Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Although Carmen Kocourek became famous after her appearance on Season 5 of Love Island USA, she had already been pursuing multiple professional opportunities, including modelling and bartending.

Read also

Are Carmen and Kenzo still together? Here's the timeline of their quiet breakup

Before fame, she worked as a bartender at a popular joint called El Hefe in Scottsdale, Arizona. The job reportedly provided her with income to support her other pursuits, including studying and modelling.

As a model, Carmen has been represented by multiple modelling agencies in Arizona and California, including Ford/Robert Black Agency and O Models. Her modelling portfolio features fashion, lifestyle, and commercial work.

In 2023, she joined the cast of Love Island USA Season 5, marking her rise to global fame. She entered the villa on Day 2 and quickly became a standout due to her confident personality and romantic storylines. At the end of the season, she emerged fourth alongside fellow Islander Kenzo Nudo.

Carmen Kocourek looks on in a photo
Carmen Kocourek poses outdoors against a stone railing. Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Carmen Kocourek leveraged the reality TV show’s exposure and rising popularity to become a lifestyle and fashion influencer on social media. She uses her social media pages to share modelling photos, travel content, beauty recommendations, fitness updates, and glimpses into her personal life. The influencer also endorses and promotes brands.

What happened to Carmen from Love Island Season 5?

On Love Island USA Season 5, Carmen found a connection with Kenzo Nudo, and they became one of the most stable couples. They remained together until the show ended, finishing in fourth place.

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Carmen Kocourek at a baseball game
Carmen Kocourek attends a baseball game in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

After the show, their romance progressed into the real world. The couple continued showing a strong connection, frequently sharing updates on social media, appearing at events together, and even talking about plans.

By mid-2024, Carmen and Kenzo’s relationship had lasted a year and was considered one of the few lasting relationships from the TV show. The couple even hinted at building a home together during an interview with People.

Shortly after, things took a new twist when Carmen announced that she had parted ways with Kenzo. As reported by Us Weekly, she wrote on Instagram Story:

Since you guys have been on this journey with me, it feels only right to let you know that me and Kenzo are no longer together. Ultimately, we want different things & are headed down different paths.

Kenzo, on his part, confirmed the breakup and added that they have mutual respect for each other and remain friends. He explained that they had different lifestyles, goals, and long-term priorities.

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Who is Carmen dating right now?

Carmen Kocourek smiles in a photo
Carmen Kocourek wears a sleeveless red halter-style top with a white polka-dot pattern. Photo: @carmen_kocourek on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The reality TV star is in a relationship with Connor Newsum, a fellow Love Island USA alum who appeared on season 6 of the reality dating series. They reportedly developed a friendship through mutual friends from the franchise before their relationship evolved into something more serious.

Rumours about their imminent romance emerged in early 2025 when the pair was spotted together on social media and in public. The couple publicly confirmed their romance in July 2025. Since going public, both have shared glimpses of their relationship online, suggesting that they are enjoying life together.

FAQs

  1. How old is Carmen Kocourek? The reality TV star was born on 21 April 2001, making her 25 years old as of 2026.
  2. What is Carmen Kocourek's ethnicity? She is of white ethnicity.
  3. Where does Carmen Kocourek from Love Island come from? She hails from Franklin, Wisconsin, but currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States.
  4. Who are Carmen Kocourek's parents? Her father is Matt Kocourek, a former professional race car driver, and her mother is Connie Kocourek, an oncology nurse.
  5. Are Carmen and Kenzo still together? They are no longer together. The former couple announced their breakup in July 2024, a year after leaving the reality TV show.
  6. What happened to Carmen Kocourek and Connor Newsum? They are in a relationship. The two went public with their romance in July 2025 when they shared the update on social media.
  7. What is Carmen Kocourek’s height? She stands at approximately 5 feet 7 inches (170 centimetres) tall.

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Carmen Kocourek has successfully transformed her Love Island USA fame into a thriving career in modelling and social media influencing. She continues to grow her professional profile through brand partnerships and online content creation. In her personal life, she is currently in a relationship with Connor Newsum after previously dating fellow Islander Kenzo Nudo.

Legit.ng recently published Veronika Zolotova’s biography. She is an American-based Belarusian model, singer, and online content creator. She rose to fame on social media by sharing engaging content, including hilarious clips, lip-sync videos, and modelling photos.

Since moving to the United States, she has shifted her focus to music. She started by covering popular songs before releasing her singles. Read her full biography to learn more about her career and personal life.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Muhunya Muhonji avatar

Muhunya Muhonji (Lifestyle writer) Muhunya Muhonji is a writer at Legit.ng. He joined the team in July 2021 and has over five years of experience. Muhonji specialises in covering entertainment, technology, business, and biographies. He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics from Egerton University in 2014. To advance his technical expertise, he completed the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course in 2023. Additionally, he finished the Google News Initiative training in March 2024 and a Fact-Checking and Research training in September 2024. Email: muhunyah@gmail.com.