- Will you consider this?

When this young woman dreams of a runway, she doesn't mean it as if she's about to take off on an airplane, but rest assured, she's got pieces of her life in place so she can take off.

Stay tuned for her story.

(uplifting music) Taking into account she had a rough first dozen years of her life, health-wise, my guest hasn't let that interfere with where she's headed.

In fact, she's actually made that health situation part of her springboard to moving towards her next goal.

Please help me welcome Brianna Burdette or Branna Burdette, who is an aspiring supermodel and an EKG technician.

- Hello.

- What a combination, yeah.

First of all, so at this point, when this airs, you'll be 21 years old.

- Yes, ma'am.

- But 21 years ago, life started out a little bit rough.

- It did, yeah.

So I started off adopted.

So my family picked me up from the hospital actually the day after I was born, and I've been with them ever since.

- Okay.

But you had a heart issue at the time.

- Yes.

- What was that all about?

- So I was born with, I believe, an enlarged aorta.

There was something going on with my aorta, which caused me to continuously go back to the hospital to receive EKGs, echoes, and then some breathing treatments throughout the way, yeah.

- All right, and you don't remember any of that from your teeny tiny baby days, but that lasted until you were about 12 years old.

- Right, so the only thing that I can pick up from that was the little breathing treatments I do.

The breathing machine had a little bear on it.

But up until I was 12, I did have to go back about every six months, which eventually turned into every year.

And then when I was 12, they let me know that everything was officially growing as it should and at a healthy rate, and then I began not having to go anymore.

- And you haven't had any issues since then, I take it?

- Yes.

- You've been doing really well health-wise?

- Yes, which is a blessing- - Okay.

- In myself.

- Well, because of your experience with, I mean, you're young, because of your experience with the EKG, then how did you get to be an EKG tech?

I mean, that's a pretty important, pretty stressful pinpoint job.

- Yes, so I started off with my first job as a preschool teacher, which was actually right across the street from the hospital that I work at now.

I'd always look at it and look at the parking deck, which now I have the blessing to park in.

And I- - And that's OSF?

- Right?

- So that's the PALS preschool right down the hill from there.

- Yes, it is.

So I began looking for some night shift jobs, and one of the first ones that popped up on the list was EKG technician, which was super familiar to me, all the stickers, all the wires, so I went ahead and applied for the job.

I was pretty persistent in the application and I was lucky enough to get the job.

- So you didn't have any official training?

I mean, it's not like they required that, but you were familiar enough with it because of your life experience.

- Right, and so there was on the job training, which was very great, and it took me no time at all to be able to do some EKGs on the floor with the patients.

- How do you feel about that?

I mean, knowing that you went through that, and these people's lives, I mean, their ticker, it depends on you.

- Right, so going to be able to do that with the young people and the older people as well, we do EKGs on everybody of all ages, babies that were just born to, I think the oldest person I've done was in their hundreds, it is a blessing to be able to interact and not only help them out.

- Wow, wow.

How does that make you feel?

- It really makes me feel full with joy, knowing that I can help them and that I'm a piece of the puzzle, yeah.

- Awesome, and now you have a sash on.

- Yes.

- Because you're an aspiring supermodel, you're already a model.

- Yes.

- [Christine] When did this dream come about?

- So it started with my dance career, and I started dancing when I was five, but it started getting a little bit more serious in middle school.

And in 2018, I was introduced to my first fashion show, which was local here in Peoria, and it was actually a fundraiser for kids with cancer.

So through that fashion show, I kind of blossomed and I knew that I wanted to do more with modeling, yeah.

- Well, you're teeny tiny, so how was it getting the walk down?

Because there's a certain kinda stroll that you have to do when you're on a runway.

- Yes, so we started the walk, and we started without heels just practicing walking in a straight line, one foot in front of the other instead of side by side.

And then once we put the heels on, it was a whole 'nother ballgame.

But I really enjoyed it since, as I was a little girl, I would always put my mom's heels on, which were way too many sizes big for me.

And I'd walk around and heel would go click, click, click.

And so as I got older, I loved when I got my first pair of heels and got to walk around in them.

- Did you have to put a book on top of your head so that you keep your posture just perfect?

Back in my day, that's what they were doing.

- We have a new little trick now.

- Okay.

- So you take a broomstick and you put it behind you, behind your arms to keep your arms elevated while you walk.

That was a trick.

- All right, so you started in 2018?

- [Brianna] Yes.

- And you have several shows under your belt.

- [Brianna] Yes.

- Where have you been and and what have you done?

- So this year, I actually went to New York Fashion Week, and I got to, there's pretty much like a shadow.

I got to see a lot of other models and go to a couple castings.

And then this past weekend, I went to Midwest Fashion Week and participated in their show there.

And I got to walk for some amazing designers that made some beautiful gowns.

- Mm-hmm, now do you work specifically with designers then or do they seek you out?

How does that whole thing work?

I'm really learning a lot here.

- Yes, so there's two different ways that you can go about it with modeling.

You can have an agent or a manager or you can be a freelance model.

So I started off freelance model, and I now have a manager that helps to send me to castings and helps get me booked.

But you always usually go to a casting and you'll walk for them and give them a comp card, which is a little bit like a business card in the modeling world.

And if they're interested in you, they'll contact you back.

Sometimes, you can do virtual castings as well, which my manager can just go ahead and send that off to them.

- Well, where are the castings?

Where do they usually take place?

- So they're usually just, there's castings all around the world, and they're usually in a nice building that is like a studio type of building.

- [Christine] Here or in Chicago, or where do you have to go?

- It depends on the show.

So if the show will be in Chicago, the casting is usually held in Chicago.

There's a couple castings in Peoria for shows coming up.

And it just depends where the show's gonna be at, where your casting is gonna be at.

If you are farther away, so if there is a New York Fashion Week, usually you can cast virtually and online since that is a pretty far travel.

- It is, it is.

- Yes.

- So expense-wise, how do you get to these places?

I mean, Chicago's nothing.

You can drive up there.

But for New York fashion Week, do they fly you up there to do these things, or what?

- It all depends on the show and all depends on the designer.

So some shows that are bigger than others will fly you out and they'll pay for your entire trip, and others, you do have to pay for yourself.

It's kind of a way of building yourself up.

So the bigger name that you have and the more well-known you are, then the better chance you have of getting your whole entire trip paid for.

- Who do you admire most right now?

Who would you aspire to be like as you go in this journey?

- There is this young lady named Aviana, who I really look up to in the modeling world, in supermodeling world.

She has recently turned into a supermodel through modeling, and she actually got her big break, Midwest Fashion Week, that's where she found her mentor, where they picked her up there and blossomed her into the supermodel that she is today.

- So you have a chance.

It's close by.

- It's a little bit close by, yes.

- All right, well, now you want to be, you would like to be Miss Central Illinois for which contest?

Because I know there's a lot of 'em.

- There is.

- I have no idea.

- There's so many different pageants and it does get confusing.

I am currently representing Central Illinois, and I will be competing in May for the title of Miss Illinois, USA.

- And that's different than Miss USA World or, I took notes and I'm just very confused.

- The three, I would say, there's three really main and big pageants for America and USA.

There's the Miss Earth pageant, the Miss America pageant, which is one of the most well-known.

- Everybody knows.

- Yes.

And then the Miss USA pageant.

So for one to want to pursue the Miss USA pageant, you have to start first with your city.

You have to represent your city or represent a sponsor of yours.

And then from that, you go to compete for the title of Miss Illinois USA.

And if you are to win the title of Miss Illinois USA, then you go on to compete for the title of Miss USA.

And the winner of Miss USA then goes to compete for the title of Miss Universe.

So that will be all of the winners from all of the countries that participate in that around the world.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yes.

- Would you like to do that sometime?

- I would love to do that.

I'm hoping to win the title of Miss Illinois USA so that I can go on farther to compete for Miss USA.

- And who do you have in your support group that, you have your agent, who gooses you along and says, "Come on, you can do this, you can do this, you can do this."

- My main supporter right now is Ms. Chanel, Ms. Chanel Deanna.

She has taken this to a whole different level for me, and I'm very, very grateful for her.

Her daughter is actually currently Miss Illinois Earth, and her nationals will be next month in January.

- Okay.

- Down in Florida.

- Interesting, did you have any idea that there were all these pageants and all this was involved in your modeling and so forth?

- Right, I didn't until I started doing a bunch of research on it.

So modeling, dancing, and pageantry, they all kind of tie in together just a little bit in sorts of how comfortable you'll be.

So coming from the dance background brought me into modeling amazingly, because when you dance, you want to make sure that every movement can be a great picture that's captured.

So from blossoming it to dance to modeling was amazing.

And then from modeling to pageantry, the difference is a little bit in the walk, and then also you talk a lot more with pageantry.

You have the speech, you have questions that they ask you, little interview questions.

- And you never wanna start out with um- - Right.

- When you're answering the question.

- Right, right.

- You're doing a great job so far.

Now, you did say that you won't be using your skills of dancing in your talent or whatever.

- Right.

- I think you're going to be modeling swimwear?

- Yes, so for this pageant, there will be the gown, the formal gown contest, and then there's swimsuit contest.

And then there is one that is a little less of a contest, but it will be just your own type of fashion.

There's also the interview questions that all tie into it as well.

- What is your preferred fashion?

I mean, you look like you're ready to go on stage and do a pirouette right now.

- I do love light colors, and I also like a little bit of a princess style, a little bit of a cottagecore style, if you will.

- So not necessarily straight, like the princess with the full=bodied skirt, that kind of thing?

- Yes.

But I do believe that I'll have a formal fitting gown for this competition.

- Well, those gowns aren't cheap.

- No.

- And does anybody just supply them for you or are you in a, can I borrow this for this pageant or?

- Right, so currently, I have been looking for some sponsors to help support me.

Sponsors can sponsor me in many different ways.

If a company would like to sponsor me with a gown, they can, or with renting a gown.

And another sponsorship could be just providing money to help me buy my own gown and to also help me get to where I need to be.

- Pastor Quentin Brown gave me your information and said that he thought you were very humble and I agree with him, you are.

- Thank you.

- It's truly, truly amazing.

- Thank you.

- And he also said that he called you Branna?

- Yes.

- He wrote it out B-R-A-N-N-A.

- Yes.

- And then I saw that you're on a cover of a magazine.

- [Brianna] Right.

- But they had it as Brianna.

- [Brianna] Yes, they did.

- [Christine] So we need to decide who you are or are you both of those people?

- I am Brianna, that is my government name.

I think my nickname throughout the years has turned into Bran, Brie, Bran, Brianna but- - [Christine] You'll answer to anything.

- Right, the full name will be Brianna.

Nicknames, you can call me Brie, you can call me Bran, yes.

- [Christine] Okay, all right.

- I think that Bran has become more unique.

It's more of a rememberable name, and so that's why we started going with Bran.

- Okay, well, now you have these pageants and you have these different competitions that you're involved in- - Yes.

- How do you balance that with your work schedule, being an EKG tech?

Is that difficult for you.

- It is very difficult.

I have a planner of mine that I make sure is down to a tee, down to every single minute of what I need to be doing in terms of home care, I also nanny on the side, EKG technician.

I have to make sure that it's all down there and all in a line.

Sometimes some nights are sleepless, but that's why we have caffeine with us.

- Yes, it is.

Well, not only are you supermodel, you're also super multitasker.

- Right, right.

It's become a blessing.

As a child, I was very, very energetic.

I could run around all day and still not be tired.

So I think that has converted a little bit into my adult life.

- Well, let's get back to the magazine cover that you made your first cover.

- Yes.

- And this is your first interview, so there are all kinds of firsts here.

- Yes.

- So you have this blue makeup paint and you have these long braids.

- Right.

- Tell me about the preparation for that.

How did that all come about?

- It is a long story for that one.

So we had a fashion show here in Peoria called The Sophisticated Ratchet Art Affair, and that fashion show was this past October.

So for the fashion show, that was my look.

And so I walked in that fashion show and I got pictures there from their photographers.

And after that fashion show, I actually called my photographer.

I showed her my face, she said, "Let's do a photo shoot right now."

It was midnight and we did a photo shoot, that photo shoot.

And when she posted that on social media is what made the magazine company reach out to her, asking her to make me the cover of that, which was a blessing.

We were very shocked.

We were amazed, we were so happy.

- Right.

- Yeah.

- Well, how long did it take to get.

I mean, we'll have the picture up.

How long did it take to apply that?

- So we did a practice round with that makeup the week before the fashion show.

The practice round was about two hours.

When we did the makeup, it was two, 2 1/2 hours to do.

- Wow.

- Yes.

- And every time we would finish, we would show our designer and she'd be like, "I would like a little bit more sparkles here, a little bit more sparkles there."

And it just blossomed into such an amazing look.

- And then there were the braids that went all the way to the floor, and then white tips.

- Yes, so the hair designer for that, her name is Nisha.

She make those hair, the hair extensions.

And so they had parted my hair three different ways, they put it in a bun, and then they sewed those braids into my head.

So I wore those braids for a good 24 hours before I got it all and undone.

I needed a friend to help me for sure.

- [Christine] How heavy was it?

- Very, very heavy.

I actually kept it wrapped around my arm for the most part.

- Just to carry it along?

- Yeah, just to carry it along.

I felt like Rapunzel, which was amazing as well, 'cause the show prior, a year prior, which was also Sophisticated Ratchet Art Affair, they did kind of a season two, they called it sophomore year.

The show prior, I had one braid that was very long and went all the way down the runway.

So this was the updated look, instead of one braid going all the way down the runway, we did three.

- Oh man, well, when you were on the runway in Chicago, your hair was different for both of the outfits- - It was.

- That you sent me a video of.

So there's somebody back there who's doing that all the time too while you're changing into your next outfit?

- Yes, it is crazy backstage at fashion shows, especially if you have a quick change.

Luckily for me, I was walking in with the first designer and with the last designer, so I did have a little bit of time to change my outfit and to change the hair around.

But for my hair for the first designer, they had it pulled back and they had it in three different ponytails that was clipped.

And then for the second one, they wanted to see my natural hair and bring out the curls.

And so we unclipped it all, untied the ponytail, and we fluffed it up a little bit.

- Really, so you're just kind of, you're there and say, do whatever you wanna do, right?

- Right.

For the most part, yeah.

- Is it frustrating for you to have people coming at you like that or you don't mind it?

- I definitely don't mind it.

I know that it can be different for a lot of girls if they are really happy and pleased with their looks, but I am always really grateful to get whatever look that I can from a designer because I just enjoy the fashion part.

I always feel like I'm playing dress up.

Everybody always says when you're a model, you are a hanger for the clothes, which is absolutely true.

However, I would love to be a hanger for the, I like to be a a princess, I like to play dress up, I always have.

And so it really makes me feel like I'm playing dress up and to get paid to play dress up is one of the best things in the world to me.

- So you said that you nanny.

- Yes.

- Also, for a little girl or, I mean, 'cause she probably thinks that you are a princess.

- So I might just be a boy mom one day because the family that I nanny for is two boys.

One is three and one is one years old and they are the biggest blessings in my life.

I love, love, love to be with them.

I love to care for them.

And this all came about through when I was a preschool teacher teaching at PALS.

The families, they came to me and asked me if they would like me to nanny and babysit for them, so that is the family I nanny for.

And then other families from that preschool also come to ask me to babysit for them on this side as well.

- Okay, all right.

Well let's get back to designers.

You do have some favorite designers or you just... How do they choose you when you have your casting?

They look at everything and they say, "We want her because this is gonna look really great on her," right?

So that you can be their hanger.

- Right, there are a lot of different ways that this goes about.

So for the local fashion shows, the designers will choose you usually on the spot.

And then for designers in New York, sometimes you cast for the show.

And once you cast for the show, then you have to do another walk to cast for those designers.

And sometimes you end up casting for the show, but you don't cast for a designer, which means that you can't walk, of course.

- Have you been disappointed for some of the things that you really, really wanted and you've been passed over?

- Yes, it does get disappointing sometimes, but it's easy to really see over that because there are so many other opportunities.

And just understand that if you didn't get it, then it might not have been right for me at the time.

- Well, that's a blessing that you look at it that way.

- [Brianna] Right.

- So you wanna be a supermodel when you grow up.

- [Brianna] Yes.

- And then how long does that last?

There's some models who have made it for quite some time.

- [Brianna] Right.

- And is that something that you wanna do or would you like to get married and be a boy mom or whatever?

- I would, I would like to get married and have kids one day, which is why I have been pursuing modeling and the pageantry so much at my ripe age of 20.

But I do plan on having kids in the future and potentially pursuing my PhD in psychology.

That is something that I'm very, very passionate about.

- And how did that come about?

PhD in psychology, modeling, EKG tech, I mean, come on, you got it all going.

- Right, so I do college on the side.

Right now, I'm getting my bachelor's in business management as a stairstep since I am paying for my college all by myself.

But as a child dealing with emotional issues, I was always more of an emotional kid.

I also became kind of a hub for those around me to help them.

And it also ended up helping me as well with my mental health, knowing that when I am speaking to others about ways that they can help themselves, I'm indirectly speaking to myself, so I need to listen to myself as well.

And through that, I developed a love for psychology.

I started reading a lot of psychology books.

I have some favorite books.

And I also, when my parents passed away, my mother passed away in 2015, and then my adoptive- - [Christine] That's your biological mother?

- Yes, and then my adoptive father passed away in 2016.

That was very hard on me mentally, but I grew past that with knowing about psychology and knowing how to deal with my emotions, it really helped me throughout the years.

And so me being able to get myself out of such a hard place like that and also helping some of my biological siblings with their emotional struggles and their mental health also made me realize that it might be a calling for me to pursue psychology.

And it makes me filled with joy whenever I know that I'm helping somebody and whenever I know that I've boosted somebody's mood.

- Well, and you said now your adoptive mother's having some health issues too.

- Yes.

- So you're dealing with that and juggling a job, and modeling, and nannying, and everything else.

- Yes, this is where the sleepless nights come into play.

I do take care of her mostly for the most part.

She is still a little bit independent, but I do make her meals for her and I help her with some necessities that need done around the house.

I take care of the house for us.

I make sure that we go get all of the bills paid and things of that nature.

- That's a lot for a 20-year-old.

- Yes.

- Almost 21.

- Yes, it is good to have a great support system.

My boyfriend supports me very well.

My mother supports me as well in hyping me up, making sure I'm staying positive and keeping going.

And also my manager, she is like my momager, I call her.

- [Christine] And Q.

- Yes, Q is my work dad, I always say.

He has really supported me throughout the years.

Sometimes I'll come in to work and I'll be a little bit discouraged and he'll gimme a little pep talk and it just boosts my night for the night and I'm ready to go.

- That's the Reverend Quentin Brown who we interviewed him before, so.

- [Brianna] Yes.

- Well, I'm so thankful that he gave me your name and shared some information.

This has been really enlightening.

I can't wait to see you just keep going and going and going.

- Thank you.

I'm very, very excited.

Very, very excited for the future.

I always say this is only the beginning.

And as I tell everybody, the world is really at your fingertips, always.

- It truly is.

Listen to you.

This girl, 20 years old, and she's got her finger on the pulse of the world.

Well, thank you very much for being with us and thank you for being with us as well.

Again, if you have any amazing people that you know kinda like this one, please let me know at the station here.

In the meantime, stay safe and healthy and hold happiness.

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