Wande (rapper)

Yewande Isola, professionally known as Wande, is a Nigerian American Christian hip hop artist and A&R administrator from Austin, Texas, United States. She signed to the Christian hip hop label Reach Records in 2019, where she had worked as an A&R administrator. Prior to that, as an independent artist, from 2013 through 2018 she released multiple singles and made numerous featured appearances on various songs. She is the first woman signed to Reach.

Wande
Birth nameYewande Isola
Also known asWande Isola
Born(1996-03-04)March 4, 1996[1][2]
Nigeria
OriginAustin, Texas, U.S.
GenresChristian hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, A&R administrator
Years active2013–present
LabelsReach, Anike Sounds, OMGitsWande
Associated acts116
Websiteomgitswande.com

Biography

Wande was born in Nigeria and raised in Round Rock and then Austin, Texas, United States.[3][2] In addition to English, she is fluent in Yoruba.[3] Most of her family was Muslim, except for her mother, who was Christian.[2] She converted to Christianity in seventh grade while attending a camp in 2009 in Columbus, Texas, a decision for which she encountered opposition from within her family.[2][4]

She became interested in rapping after a biology teacher allowed her to compose a rap about cellular transport instead of writing an essay or making a presentation.[3] She majored in journalism and public relations at University of Texas at Austin, and rapped at campus events as a form of Christian ministry.[2][4] She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha and Sigma Phi Lambda sororities, the National Association of Black Journalists, IGotSole Dance Company, and the Texas Orange Jackets.[2][5][6] Her first released record was a feature on the song "B.I.G." by D-Flow on their 2013 album Quarter to Vinci.[7] She released her first single, "No Flex" featuring ikilledmarlon, in May 2016.[8] She performed at South by Southwest in 2016,[9] 2017,[10][11] and 2018.[12] In 2017, while still pursuing her university education, she began an internship at Reach Records, and shortly before her graduation in 2018 she was hired as an administrator for the label's A&R.[13] The following year she was signed as a recording artist to the label,[1] and she released her debut single on the label, "Blessed Up", in April.[14]

Wande is the first woman signed to the label.[1] She has expressed a hope that her signing will make it easier for other women rappers to pursue a career in the highly male-dominated Christian hip hop genre. "I think it’ll show other labels that you shouldn’t be afraid to sign females. I hear a lot of excuses like, 'Oh it’s expensive' or 'Oh, we don’t know how the market will react to a woman.' 'Will they buy her music?' Obviously, a lot of Christian companies don’t have the money to just casually experiment with a Christian artist because you have to make sure they are profitable. So a lot of women get the short end of the stick because they don’t want to gamble on a woman."[15]

On March 30, 2020, Wande announced her forthcoming extended play, Exit, set for release on April 24, 2020.[16] The single "Happy" was released April 3, 2020.[17]

Discography

Extended plays

Singles

As primary artist
Title Released Album
"No Flex" (featuring ikilledmarlon) May 27, 2016[8] Non-album single
"They Didn't Know" July 14, 2016[18] Non-album single
"Hiatus Freestyle" December 5, 2017[19] Non-album single
"Elevated" (featuring Bryon Juane) April 19, 2018[20] Non-album single
"Fuego" August 2, 2018[21] Non-album single
"Fuego [Remix]" (featuring Parris Chariz) September 13, 2018[22] Non-album single
"I Gotta Live" December 17, 2018[23] Non-album single
"Blessed Up" April 12, 2019[14] Non-album single
"In Luv" July 18, 2019[24] Summer Nineteen
"BAND$" (featuring Byron Juane) July 18, 2019[25] Summer Nineteen
"No Limits" November 14, 2019[26] non-album double-single
"Happy" April 3, 2020[17] Exit
Title Released Album
"B.I.G." (D-Flow featuring Wande) November 12, 2013[7] Quarter to Vinci
"Gotta Go" (Dru Bex featuring Jeremy Rodney-Hall and Wande) April 13, 2018[27] Non-album single
"Level 3" (Xay Hill featuring Silver Steph, Wande, Torey D'shaun, Roy Tosh, Raw B and Parris Chariz) April 27, 2018[28] Red Ranger Pt.2[29]
"She Got Aesthetic" (Not Klyde featuring Wande & Parris Chariz) October 24, 2018[30] Lil Foil 39
"Groove" (DJ Standout featuring Cass, Wande, and Eris Ford) April 5, 2019[31] Non-album single
"Holy Ghost" (Mandela Dunamis featuring Wande) May 31, 2019[32] The Light Show
"Pretty Sad" (V. Rose featuring Wande) July 19, 2019[33] Non-album single
"Perfectly Loved [Remix]" (Courtnie Ramirez featuring Wande) October 17, 2019[34] Non-album single
"Live Forever" (116 featuring 1K Phew, Aaron Cole, Hulvey, Tedashii, Tommy Royale and Wande) January 16, 2020[35] Non-album single
"We Fight (Color Purple)" (Datin featuring 1K Phew and Wande) March 13, 2020[36] Non-album single

References
  1. Law, Jeannie (April 12, 2019). "Lecrae signs first-ever female artist to Reach Records: Wande". The Christian Post. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. Ashcraft, Michael (April 12, 2019). "Rising rapper overcame Muslim family opposition to follow Jesus". God Reports. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  3. Ebe (March 27, 2019). "Women to Watch: Rapper, Wande Isola". OneTribeMag. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  4. Ryan, Patrick (August 15, 2019). "Christian hip hop is having a moment: 6 rappers you should know, including chart-topper NF". USA Today. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  5. Rollins, Kara (November 16, 2015). "Look Out for Wande Isola". Her Campus. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  6. "Outstanding Spring 2018 Grads". Moody College of Communication. May 2, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  7. Solis, Steven (November 12, 2013). "D-Flow 'Quarter To Vinci'". Rapzilla. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  8. Solis, Steven (May 27, 2016). "Free Download: Wande - No Flex ft. ikilledmarlon". Rapzilla. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  9. Harrington, Jim (March 10, 2016). "SXSW 2016 music lineup: Here's the complete list". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  10. Curtin, Kevin (January 19, 2017). "SXSW Music List Four". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  11. "SXSW 2017 Preview – Friday". QRO Magazine. March 11, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  12. "SXSW 2018 Preview – Friday". QRO Magazine. March 4, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  13. Moreno, Chelsea (May 1, 2019). "'Blessed Up': UT Austin alumna Wande Isola signs with record label". KXAN-TV. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  14. Blessed Up - Single by Wande, retrieved March 25, 2020
  15. Sarachik, Justin (April 12, 2019). "Wande Talks About Signing to Reach Records & What's Coming Next". Rapzilla. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  16. McKinion, Caleb (March 30, 2020). "Wande Announces Her Debut Album 'Exit'". Rapzilla. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  17. Sarachik, Justin (April 3, 2020). "Wande Drops Epic Music Video for 'Happy'". Rapzilla. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  18. Solis, Steven (July 14, 2016). "Free Download: Wande - They Didn't Know". Rapzilla. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  19. Hiatus Freestyle - Single by Wande, retrieved March 25, 2020
  20. Elevated (feat. Byron Juane) - Single by Wande & PoetiCS, retrieved March 25, 2020
  21. Fuego - Single by Wande, retrieved March 25, 2020
  22. Fuego (feat. Parris Chariz) [Remix] - Single, retrieved March 25, 2020
  23. I Gotta Live - Single by Wande, retrieved March 25, 2020
  24. Reach Records. "Wande - IN LUV". Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  25. Reach Records (July 18, 2019). "Wande - BAND$ feat. Byron Juane". Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  26. Longs, Herb (November 14, 2019). "Reach Records Recording Artist Wande Presents 'No Limits'". TheChristianBeat.org. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  27. Gotta Go (feat. Jeremy Rodney-Hall & Wande) - Single by Dru Bex, retrieved March 25, 2020
  28. Level 3 (feat. Silver Steph, Wande, Torey D'shaun, Roy Tosh, Raw B & Parris Chariz) - Single by Xay Hill, retrieved March 25, 2020
  29. Red Ranger, Pt. 2 by Xay Hill, retrieved April 5, 2020
  30. "She Got Aesthetic (feat. Wande & Parris Chariz)". October 25, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  31. Groove - Single by DJ Standout, Eris Ford, Wande & Cass, retrieved March 25, 2020
  32. Holy Ghost (feat. Wande) - Single by Mandela Dunamis, retrieved March 25, 2020
  33. Pretty Sad (feat. Wande) - Single by V. Rose, retrieved March 25, 2020
  34. Ramirez, Courtnie (October 17, 2019). "Courtnie Ramirez - Perfectly Loved [Remix] (Feat. Wande)". Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  35. Live Forever (feat. 1K Phew, Aaron Cole, Hulvey, Tedashii, Tommy Royale & Wande) - Single by 116, retrieved March 25, 2020
  36. We Fight (Color Purple) [feat. 1K Phew & Wande] - Single by Datin, retrieved March 25, 2020
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