A young woman dubbed the “most beautiful girl in Australia” has opened up about the “surreal” moment a photograph taken at a nightclub catapulted her to fame.
Ryli Johnson, a proud Gomeroi Murri woman, was snapped at a Townsville nightclub with her boyfriend Tyreice Baira Gela in March.
After The Bank Nightclub posted the photo to its Facebook page, it quickly went viral, as many declared the 19-year-old a “natural beauty” who should pursue a career in modelling.
Now Ryli, who is from the rural town of Moree in northwestern NSW, has made her fashion debut on the cover of this week’s Stellar.
The young woman has opened up about becoming a viral sensation.
“It has been surreal. I was at a concert recently, waiting to use the loos with about 500 other people, and these two people came up and recognised me,” she told the publication.
“Then everyone started cheering. It’s like, ‘What the heck?’”
However Ryli, who is wearing a set from Australian designer Bec + Bridge on the prestigious cover, explained not all of the attention has been positive.
“I had to put my accounts on private. Because I had people message me, and they were really rude comments talking about my relationship or me,” she shared.
“Honestly, I never asked for this to happen. And the comments made me feel like: ‘Wow, maybe this isn’t for me.’
“I’m the nicest person that you will ever meet. So I don’t think it’s fair for me to be treated like that.”
But after being dubbed the “most beautiful girl in Australia”, the up-and-coming model has revealed she’s determined to seize whatever new venture comes her way.
“I have this whole new opportunity, and I’ve always believed in saying yes to any opportunity and seeing where it leads,” Ryli said, adding she thoroughly enjoyed her first photo shoot.
“I loved the atmosphere. I honestly had the most amazing time. It definitely gave me some inspiration of what I want to do with modelling.”
Following her viral fame, Ryli said her phone was “blowing up”, revealing on Sunrise in March she was taken aback by the turn of events.
“Everyone said that I had the potential to do what I want and they are just over the moon,” she told host Natalie Barr.
“It is very crazy, my phone hasn’t stopped blowing up. Honestly, [modelling] never crossed my mind, but you know with this whole thing I think it should be an option.
“I have had a couple of modelling agents reach out so I guess it is just a waiting game.”
The full story and shoot is out today in Stellar, inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA).