An ordinary snap of a ‘small town girl’ enjoying a night out at a club in far north Queensland has Aussies across the country claiming the teen should be a model.
Murri woman Ryli Johnson travelled to Townsville with her boyfriend Tyreice Baira Gela and some friends for a weekend getaway.
The group was enjoying a night out on Saturday at The Bank Nightclub when the club’s photographer casually snapped a picture of the 19-year-old and her boyfriend.
Ryli said she did not think much of the photo of the smiling pair, which was shared to the club’s Facebook page.
Some social media users said her boyfriend Tyreice shared a likeness to Melbourne Storm NRL winger Xavier Coates.
However, the photo amassed a slew of comments from Aussies who were taken aback by Ryli’s ‘natural’ beauty, with many claiming she should pursue a career as a model.
Murri woman Ryli Johnson was pictured with her boyfriend Tyreice Baira Gela at The Bank nightclub in Townsville
‘Sign her to a modelling agency, she’s so naturally gorgeous,’ one commented.
‘She’s the very definition of beauty. Someone sign her up,’ a second person wrote.
‘Tell me this girl models professionally. She’s beautiful,’ a third chimed.
A fourth added: ‘She so should pursue a career in modelling, so naturally beautiful inside and out.’
Ryli, who is from the rural town of Moree in north-western NSW, told Daily Mail the reaction to her photo came as shock.
‘I don’t really wear makeup but that night I just didn’t put any on at all and the guy asked if he could take a photo of us, not thinking it was going to be posted,’ Ryli said.
‘It just started blowing up and my mum showed me all the comments and I was like, “what the hell”.
‘Like I’m only a small town little black girl from Moree and to have all these big city people commenting that I should be a model, I didn’t expect at all. It’s just crazy.’
Social media users were stunned by the 19-year-old’s ‘natural’ beauty with many claiming she should pursue a career as a model
Ryli, who is from the small rural of Moree in north-western NSW, said the response was ‘overwhelming’
Ryli is currently living with her dad in Port Macquarie and considering a move to Brisbane if her job application with Qantas as a customer service agent is successful.
While growing up, Ryli said a few people had mentioned she consider modelling 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 potentially pursue a career as a model.
‘It has given me a lot to think about and I feel like if I was to do modelling,’ Ryli said.
‘The comments have given me a little drive and I might like it or it might even be a career change for me’.
Ryli said her dad even made a comparison to Victoria’s Secret Model Miranda Kerr who grew up in the rural NSW town of Gunnedah – just a two-hour drive from Moree.
If given the opportunity, Ryli said she would ‘jump at the chance’ and ‘definitely give it a go’.
She added 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’d definitely be shouting out to the people in my home community, that there’s definitely opportunities for us black girls,’ Ryli said.
‘Anyone can do it. It’s possible, you know what I mean? Like, just don’t stop dreaming, you will make it if you just get out of your small town ways and go big.
‘I’ve always wanted to make a difference in my home community because there is a lot of violence, everyone’s under the influence of drugs and alcohol and the crime rate is just ridiculous.’
Ryli said she would ‘definitely’ consider a career in modeling if the opportunity was presented to her and would use the platform to inspire other young Indigenous and First Nations girls
The teen explained she was grateful for all the lovely comments and was in shock as she was just a ‘small town’ girl
The extent of Ryli’s modelling career to date happened when she was 12-years-old and her mum entered her into an Aboriginal model search competition – which her cousin won.
She explained her cousin was able to work with Indigenous fashion designer Gomeroi woman Aunty Colleen Tighe Johnson and even went to New York Fashion week.
Last year, Ryli and her brother Bayli travelled to Ireland for ITF Tag World Cup in Ireland.
The pair both won a bronze medal, Ryli as part of the under 21s women’s n Indigenous Oztag team and Bayli as part of the under 21s men’s Alliance Rest of the World team.
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