The Wé Ani Story

Introducing "Head Held High - The Wé Ani Story"

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 17:47:08 +0000

Wé Ani, then known as Wé McDonald, had a busy and productive 2018. She released her first single "Head Up High", published her first children's book "Little Girl with the Big Voice", recorded her first album "We Ani" and performed in New York, Houston and Chicago. The Record was granted behind-the-scene access as the Paterson singer-songwriter moved beyond her third-place finish on the 2016 season of "The Voice."

Episode 1: How Wé Ani discovered her singing voice

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 13:18:56 +0000

Long before We Ani became a finalist on "American Idol" and "The Voice," her friends and family discovered she had an amazing singing voice.

Episode 2: Wé Ani's painful childhood secret

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 08:00:06 +0000

Wé Ani began singing at age 12 and rose to fame on "American Idol" and "The Voice." But she was harboring a painful childhood secret that even her parents didn't know. (Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

Episode 3: 'The Voice' on NBC makes Wé famous

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:01:06 +0000

Wé made it all the way to the Top 3 on "The Voice." It all started with an audition scored by her dad.

Episode 4: The making of Wé Ani's song "Head Up High"

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:01:06 +0000

Wé released her first single in summer 2018. It was an anthem called “Head Up High,” which she co-wrote with Kylie Rothfield, a fellow contestant from Season 11 of "The Voice" on NBC. Be there as she performs the song during a sold-out show at Joe's Pub, a nightclub in lower Manhattan. (Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

Episode 5: Making of Wé Ani's first album

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:00:16 +0000

Wé records her debut album producer Andre Betts in the same Hackensack studio where her career began during a music summer camp eight years earlier. Listen to Episode 5 our podcast The Wé Ani Story for the inside story on how the album was made.

Episode 6: Raising Wé - How to raise a talented child

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:00:06 +0000

Think you know Wé Ani? Behind the scenes, her parents Mac and Jackie tell the story of raising Wé. Music runs in their family. Mac once served as a personal manager for The Village People. Now he manages his daughter’s career. (Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

Episode 7: Wé in her own words

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:00:06 +0000

The little girl with the big voice and a commanding stage presence, Wé still calls herself “an awkward person." We dedicate this episode to hearing We and only We talk openly about her life and music, including songs on her new extended play album, "Wé Ani". (Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)

Episode 8: Wé Ani: 'My life is extremely magical'

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 04:00:06 +0000

The final episode: At long last, Wé debuts the songs on her latest EP during a live concert at the Gramercy Theater in New York City in the summer of 2018, nearly a year after she began recording. In this final episode of "The Wé McDonald Ani," We and her mentors reflect on the young artist's future, near and long-term. (Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com)