Wé Ani finished third on The Voice. Then Sony found her on TikTok

She wrote songs before turning four chairs on The Voice

Wé Ani began writing at about 11, with dance and acting already part of her childhood. She took music, voice, theatre and dance classes at the Harlem School of the Arts. In 2016, viewers met her as Wé McDonald, a 17-year-old who sang “Feeling Good” in The Voice’s blind auditions and turned all four coaches’ chairs. She chose Alicia Keys, who told her after the performance, “I got you for real. I heard you just now.” Her finale included “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “Ave Maria” with Keys and the original song “Wishes.” She finished third, with an original song already part of her television story.

She put her childhood story into a book in 2018

By May 3, 2018, Wé was promoting a children’s book alongside her music. She appeared on Windy City Live to perform “Head up High” and discuss The Little Girl with the Big Voice. Written in her own words, the book followed a girl learning to accept her differences and use her voice. Wé had spoken on The Voice about childhood bullying and body-image issues. Her book carried that experience into a story intended to help children understand themselves and pursue their dreams. Sharing those early experiences became part of her work after the competition.

Frantic arrived during her 2023 American Idol run

Wé returned to singing competition television on American Idol in 2023 and made the Top 5. Her own music arrived during that run: the five-song EP Frantic came out on April 5 through All The Wé Up and Song House. On Idol, she sang “I Have Nothing,” selected by Luke Bryan for the May 1 judges’ song contest, and “Uninvited” on May 7. For Disney night on May 14, she performed “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II and “The Climb” from Hannah Montana: The Movie. She returned for the May 21 finale to sing “Bust Your Windows” with Jazmine Sullivan, adding another duet to her television performances.

“Hardwood” became a dance song with an ASL video

On August 16, 2024, Wé released “Hardwood” through 19 Recordings and BMG. The idea began while she looked at the studio floor and thought about wooden dance floors and the sound of people moving on them. She built the song around feeling the ground under her feet and sharing a party with friends, family or strangers. Its sound combined funk and jazz. On September 13, she released an American Sign Language video for the song, performing center stage in denim with dance moves and sign language. That version extended the song’s invitation to join the party through another form of expression.

Her 2025 singles included a Jersey club collaboration

Wé’s February 14, 2025 release “Forget About You” paired her with Ajii and producer Alex Poeppel. The collaboration used a Jersey club beat for a song about the emotional aftermath of a breakup and the pull of past relationships. It brought another sound into her recordings. Her solo single “Jurisdiction” followed on June 13. Both releases carried the 19 Recordings credit under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management. Across those releases, her recording work covered a collaboration with a fellow American Idol contestant and a solo track.

• Listen to “Forget About You” on Apple Music
• Listen to “Jurisdiction” on Apple Music

She thought Sony’s approach through TikTok was a bot

In her October 23, 2025 interview with EARMILK, Wé explained how Sony had found her through TikTok. “Is this a bot?” she remembered thinking. She delayed answering until another email arrived and talks began about joining the Audio Ambassador program. Sony wanted her to represent artists and discuss how its technology helped her work. She described gaining people with whom she could discuss ideas, test equipment and make content, as well as friendships with staff and other ambassadors. Trips included Miami and Los Angeles. She described her developing artistry as “more confident, more edgy, more fearless,” with greater openness about her feelings.

She showed fans how she made “Promise Me”

Her Sony partnership included a close look at making “Promise Me” with Tony Chetta. She recorded vocals with Sony’s C-80 and C-800G microphones, while the mix was monitored through MDR-M1 and MDR-MV1 headphones. At a 2025 listening and learning session, Wé discussed what inspired her lyrics as Chetta demonstrated how the vocals and melodies came together on the mixing console. She followed the lesson with a band performance that included “The Standard,” “To the Moon,” “Passport” and “Jurisdiction,” plus “Promise Me.” The session let an audience hear her songs and see the work that produced them.

A new single and Tamron Hall followed in 2026

Wé and Song House released “Old News” on November 7, 2025, as a two-song release credited to BMG X Song House. Her next year brought “Burn That Bridge,” released on June 19, 2026, through 19 Recordings under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management. Her television work continued on September 16, when she performed on Tamron Hall for the host’s birthday episode. The appearance placed her on a bill that included En Vogue. From the studio demonstration to another single and a daytime television performance, she continued to bring her music to listeners after her two singing competition runs.

• Wé Ani: career and music
• Listen to Wé Ani on Apple Music
• Listen to “Old News” on Apple Music
• Listen to “Burn That Bridge” on Apple Music