A young Indigenous woman dubbed the ‘definition of beauty’ has landed a modeling gig after a modest photo of her at a nightclub went viral.
Murri woman Ryli Johnson traveled to Townsville for a weekend getaway with her boyfriend Tyreice Baira Gela and a few friends.
The group were enjoying a night out at The Bank Nightclub on Saturday when the club’s photographer casually snapped a photo of the 19-year-old and her boyfriend.
Ryli said she didn’t think much of the photo of the smiling couple, which was shared on the club’s Facebook page.
However, the photo sparked comments from Aussies who were surprised by Ryli’s ‘natural’ beauty, with many claiming she should pursue a career in modeling.
Following an article in Daily Mail Australia on Sunday about the photo, the teen has received calls from modeling agencies and even appeared on Natalie Barr’s Sunrise show.
Murri woman Ryli Johnson went viral after a photo of her and her boyfriend (pictured) at The Bank nightclub in Townsville was shared on social media
The teen explained that she was grateful for all the kind comments and was shocked because she was just a small-town girl
Social media users were stunned by the 19-year-old’s ‘natural’ beauty, with many claiming she should pursue a career in modeling
“My grandma and my mom were all crying when they saw the article in the Daily Mail, everyone was like ‘wow,'” Ryli told Barr on Monday morning.
‘Everyone said I had the potential to do what I want and they are just over the moon.
‘It’s very strange, my phone keeps blowing up. “Honestly, (modeling) never crossed my mind, but you know, with this whole thing going on, I think it should be an option.
“I’ve approached a few modeling agencies, so I guess we just have to wait and see.”
She added that she has always dreamed of traveling to New York and Paris Fashion Week or even being part of Vogue.
The TV show even called her ‘Australia’s most beautiful woman’.
On Saturday, Ryli, who is from the rural town of Moree in north-west NSW, told Daily Mail Australia the response to her photo came as a shock.
Sunrise even called her ‘Australia’s most beautiful woman’
“I don’t really wear makeup, but that night I didn’t put any makeup on at all and the guy asked if he could take a picture of us, not thinking it would be posted,” Ryli said.
‘It just started blowing up and my mum showed me all the reactions and I thought ‘what the heck’.
“Like I’m just a little black girl from Moree and all these people from the big city telling me to be a model was something I didn’t expect at all. It’s just crazy.’
Growing up, Ryli said a few people had mentioned that she was considering modeling, but the comments were made in passing and she dismissed them as if they were a joke.
However, the teen said the reaction to her photo has given her the “drive” and confidence to possibly pursue a career in modeling.
Ryli said her father even drew comparisons to Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr, who grew up in the rural NSW town of Gunnedah, just a two-hour drive from Moree.
She added that one of her motivations if she were to work as a model would be to inspire other young First Nations and Indigenous girls to achieve their dreams.
“I would definitely shout out to people in my home community that there are definitely opportunities for us black girls,” Ryli said.
‘Anyone can do it. It’s possible, you know what I mean? For example, don’t stop dreaming; you will make it if you leave your small town life behind and go big.
“I’ve always wanted to make a difference in my home community because there’s a lot of violence, everyone is under the influence of drugs and alcohol and the crime rate is just ridiculous.”
Ryli currently lives with her father in Port Macquarie and is considering a move to Brisbane if her application to Qantas as a customer service representative is successful.
Modeling agencies have since contacted Ryli following Daily Mail Australia’s article about the nightclub photo
Ryli, from the small rural area of Moree in north-west NSW, said her phone ‘hasn’t stopped blowing up’
The 19-year-old said that if given the opportunity, she would use her modeling career to inspire other young Indigenous girls to follow their dreams (Ryli won bronze alongside her brother Bayli at the 2023 ITF Tag World Cup in Ireland)