Ariana Biermann addresses going through ‘not-so-great things’ as she wins VRT award on heels of brother KJ’s arrest

Ariana Biermann hinted at experiencing some “not-so-great things” after her younger brother KJ was arrested and charged with sodomy and sexual assault. The “Next Gen NYC” star took home the Breakout Star award at the second annual “Virtual Reali-Tea” Awards, sponsored by Tri-State Cadillac, CoverGirl, Philo and Kahlúa, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City Tuesday night. “Thank you all for watching ‘Next Gen,’ I’ve obviously lived a lot of my life on reality TV,” the 24-year-old said after accepting the award from hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real, referencing her stints in “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Don’t Be Tardy” and “Next Gen” “It comes with amazing things and some not-so-great things but Bravo took a chance on me and I feel so honored,” she continued. “Thank you for just believing me and supporting me through all of the journeys I’ve been on this [Season 2]. And thank you again … thank you to my mom [Kim Zolciak] for making this possible. I love you guys all so much!” Ariana Biermann, pictured above at the VRT Awards on Tuesday, hinted at “not-so-great things” during her acceptance speech after winning Breakout Star. Gregory Pace/Shutterstock The reality star, pictured here with Shai Fruchter and Liam Obergfoll at the event, received the Breakout Star award. Brian Zak/Page Six As Page Six previously reported, KJ, 15, was arrested on Aug. 17. The charges stem from his alleged acts against a victim under the age of 16 on April 23 at a Life Time Fitness Center in Alpharetta, Georgia. According to court docs obtained by Page Six, KJ allegedly committed “an immoral and indecent act” to the victim by “aggressively rubbing [her] vagina with the intent to arouse and satisfy his sexual desires.” The alleged incident caused “physical injury” to the victim, the docs state in part. Want to watch from home? Philo is the exclusive streaming partner for the 2026 VRT Awards, and the only place you’ll find the full show this year. The best part? It’s free to watch on Philo’s ad-supported platform starting Oct. 9. Plus, you can catch up on last year’s awards now on Philo.com/VRTs. Ariana Biermann (pictured above in May 2025) gave an update on how her family has been doing following her younger brother KJ’s recent arrest. Tamara Beckwith The “Next Gen: NYC” star exclusively spoke to Page Six at the second-annual “Virtual Reali-Tea” Awards Tuesday night. Tamara Beckwith KJ’s attorney, Jason Sheffield, denied any wrongdoing on behalf of his client, insisting to Page Six in a statement that the teen is “100% innocent.” Meanwhile, Zolciak also hit back at what she called the “reckless and deeply troubling” allegations in a statement of her own. “He categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct,” Zolciak said in part. KJ’s attorney, Jason Sheffield, denied any wrongdoing on behalf of his client (pictured above in his mugshot). Alpharetta Police Department Last month, KJ was formally indicted on charges of aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, false imprisonment and three counts of aggravated sexual battery against a child. Zolciak’s former “RHOA” co-star NeNe Leakes claimed in a recent interview that the mom of six is “not OK” amid her son’s continued legal woes. The reality star supported her son at a bond hearing on Sept. 11 and sat separately from her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, who was also present. KJ’s mom, Kim Zolciak (pictured together above), also hit back at what she called the “reckless and deeply troubling” allegations in a statement of her own. kimzolciakbiermann/Instagram “[KJ] categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct,” the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum stated in part. kimzolciakbiermann/Instagram During the proceedings, KJ was ultimately granted a $200,000 bond, though he must adhere to strict conditions, including electronic monitoring and a ban on cell phone use. Additionally, the teen was ordered not to contact the alleged victim in any way or be in contact with anyone under the age of 16. He also must attend school virtually from his mother’s Georgia home. Prosecutors further alleged during the hearing that videos of KJ having sex with an underage family member in April 2023 were previously found on his cell phone, and claimed that since October 2025, he’d been under court supervision due to the alleged separate incident. Zolciak previously supported her son at a bond hearing on Sept. 11. kimzolciakbiermann/Instagram At the time, she sat separately from her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, who was also present. kimzolciakbiermann/Instagram Page Six exclusively reported that Zolciak, 48, and Kroy, 41, had confiscated the teen’s cell phone a year prior to investigators discovering the videos. It’s unclear whether the footage was connected to the alleged incident. On Monday, just one day before the VRT Awards, KJ pleaded not guilty to all seven felony charges in his sexual battery and sodomy case. Although Ariana has made a name for herself on “Next Gen: NYC,” the reality star made her first Bravo appearance on “RHOA,” alongside her siblings. Ariana made her Bravo debut with her family on the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Don’t Be Tardy.” (Pictured above: Kroy, Brielle, Ariana and Zolciak on “Don’t Be Tardy” Season 1.) NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Kroy legally adopted Ariana and her older sister, Brielle (pictured above with KJ and Kash in 2015), before he and Zolciak welcomed four kids of their own. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Zolciak appeared on the Bravo show from Season 1 through Season 5 and returned for a few cameos in later seasons. Fans watched as Zolciak married Kroy, who legally adopted Ariana, 24, and her older sister, Brielle, 29. The couple went on to welcome four children: KJ, 15, Kash, 14, and 12-year-old twins, Kaia and Kane. The family also starred in their own spinoff show, “Don’t Be Tardy,” which ran for eight seasons from 2012 to 2020. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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