Life & Work with Chardonnae Vaughn of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chardonnae Vaughn.

Hi Chardonnae, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Chicago, by way of Houston, TX. I grew up naturally interested and inclined in art, fashion, and music. I used to avidly watch America’s Next Top Model as a child, and that inspired to me to seek out a career in modeling. My family owned loads of CDs in a large cardboard box, ranging between R&B, Hip-Hop/Rap, Soul, and Stepping soundtracks. I used to study the CD booklets of albums like Outkast Atliens and Aaliyah’s self-titled. It allowed me to fall in love with music and also led me to recreating or drawing the pictures I saw, therefore I used the flaps of the box to draw my own sketches. Those early experiences birthed the love I have for Djing and drawing. As a teenager, I drew a whole lot, starting off traditionally and then pivoting to digital art. From there I would take commissions, mainly for cover arts for friends of mine who were making music. I started modeling at the age of 19, modeling for a brand from a friend of mine in Houston, but started taking it seriously in 2021 post covid. I also decided to start a career in hairstyling the same year, becoming a licensed cosmetologist, since it was another medium to express the love I have for art. I took a year and a half hiatus from late 2023 to early 2025 due to personal loss and struggles. That period broke me all the way down but built me back up. My rock bottom was a trampoline, and it catapulted me into a invigorated sense of creativity and self. 2024, I moved to Atlanta for more opportunities to expand in my talents and also to find community with those who look like me. Now, since early 2025, I have started back modeling, acting, and networking in the creative spaces. It also led me towards discovering Djing as a hobby, since my love for music is so pure and having friends tell me for years I should pursue the craft. I’m not exactly where I want to be quite yet, but the journey is beautiful. And I cannot wait to see what’s in store for me.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. However, I am grateful for the turbulence. The biggest struggle I faced was the death of my partner, and having to uproot my life in Houston. The experience taught me a lot and shook me to my core. It taught me a lot about patience, time, love, and responsibility. It also taught me to hold on tight to the ones you love and make sure you let them know how much you appreciate them as often as you can. It build a lot of resilience and strength.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a model, hairstylist, artist, and up and coming DJ.

I’m most proud of all creative projects I have been apart of. Whether it’s a clothing brand shoot, a short film, a digital portrait of a friend, or a mix for my father’s radio show, they all mean a lot to me equally. I put in as much love and hard work for project as I do the next.

What sets me apart from others is my ability to stay resilient. What works out for others may not work out for me. I cease to compare my journey to another’s. My resilience keeps me grounded and clear minded, therefore it allows me to stay true to myself and the art I create. I keep myself aligned with the core of my very being. In a world where it seems like a lot of people conform to stay safe, I trust in myself to stay in my lane.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love the most about Atlanta is the community. What I like least, is what I could say about other cities I’ve been in as well. Of course you’re going to have some of the bad seeds that taint or contaminate your experience, but that’s every where. Atlanta has shown me that there are still people, loads of them, that are pure and just decent human beings, that want to create. Creativity is the direct pathway to God. I see God in a lot of people I’ve met and come across, and it’s beautiful. I love it here.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/113thnae
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/naeskiiii711
• Other: https://tiktok.com/113thnae