Ariana Biermann, the 24-year-old star of Next Gen NYC, won Breakout Star at the second annual Virtual Reali-Tea Awards in New York City on Oct. 6th.
Biermann told the crowd she had “obviously lived a lot” of her life on reality television, according to Page Six.
“It comes with amazing things and some not-so-great things,” she said, adding that she felt honored Bravo had taken a chance on her.
She thanked viewers for supporting her through Season 2 of Next Gen NYC and credited her mother, Kim Zolciak, with opening the door. “Thank you to my mom for making this possible,” Biermann told the audience.
She Once Wanted to Stop Filming
Biermann first appeared alongside Zolciak and her siblings on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She later became a regular on the family’s spinoff, Don’t Be Tardy, which ran for eight seasons from 2012 to 2020.
In an October 2025 interview with Us Weekly, Biermann recalled a long period during her teenage years when she wanted to stop filming and concentrate on high school. She said she felt obliged to participate, while criticism from viewers made an already difficult stage of growing up harder.
“So not wanting to do it and then going on my own show, it’s kind of ironic,” she said. Before Next Gen NYC premiered in June 2025, Biermann told Parade about attending the premiere as a cast member herself. “Like, now we’re not the plus one, our moms are the plus ones when they come to this premiere!”
As an adult, Biermann also heard from viewers who recognized their own experiences in the family stories she shared. She told Us Weekly that some had thanked her for giving them a different perspective on difficulties in their own families.
The new show brought her back together with childhood friend Riley Burruss, daughter of Zolciak’s former RHOA costar Kandi Burruss. After roughly a decade apart, Biermann initially worried about whether they would still get along. She recalled spending three consecutive days with Burruss once they reconnected.
Season 2 Followed Her Split From Hudson McLeroy
The second season followed Biermann after the end of her long on-and-off relationship with Hudson McLeroy, as she began dating again in New York.
Alongside Biermann and Burruss, the ensemble includes Brooks Marks, Gia Giudice, Ava Dash and Charlie Zakkour. Three newcomers, Rowan Henchy, Liam Obergfoll and Kendall White, joined for Season 2.
Her brief romance with Obergfoll also played out onscreen. At the reunion, she said she wasn’t seeking a relationship, according to Bravo.
The season premiered June 24th and aired its regular-season finale Sept. 9th. Both parts of the reunion are now available with the season on Peacock.
The Full VRT Awards Ceremony Streams Oct. 9th
The fan-voted Breakout Star category also included Trinity Tatum, Mia Calabrese and Alicia Carmody. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Whitney Rose announced Biermann as the winner.
The ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Edison Ballroom, with Virtual Reali-Tea hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real leading the event.
Other winners included Kyle Cooke for Hot-Tea of the Year, Meredith Marks for Style Icon of the Year, Ciara Miller for Best Reunion Performance and Luann de Lesseps for Musician of the Year, according to Page Six.
De Lesseps also performed during the show, as did Vanderpump Rules alum Scheana Shay. The full 2026 ceremony will stream exclusively on Philo’s free, ad-supported service beginning Oct. 9th.