Hums from Harlem
From COVID Chronicles to spitting bars on Spotify, Wesli Autrey is an upcoming female artist to tune into. By Naomi Campbell and edited by Manaswini Pillai. Photographs by Kollin Washington.
Wesli Autrey stands in the center of the room. No mic is present, but she straightens her stance and cocks her head to the side. The first couple beats blare from the speakers and her long brown fulani braids sway and her hoop earrings dangle against her collar and face as she begins to spit bars from her song “MAD” ft. artist, PlugCC. Without missing a beat, she has memorized each lyric that she wrote.
Autrey remembers when her mom first told her about her daughter’s music journey and beginning to her love for the industry.
“It started when I was in my mother’s womb. She had the pregnancy headphones where you could connect it to the computer and play music,” said Autrey. “She would play Hip-hop, R&B, all the genres and she would feel me moving in her. I don’t know if I was dancing or whatever, but I was vibing.”
When Autrey was a toddler, her mom would hear her hum around the house and “was curious to know what I [Autrey] was humming about.”
Humble beginnings in Harlem
The 19 year old artist from Harlem got her first taste of the stage during the pandemic. She said that during COVID-19, everyone was inspired by something, and she always gravitated towards music.
“It wasn’t a specific type; it was just anything that made me feel good, anything that had vibrant energy,” said Autrey.
When Autrey was 13, the dean of her high school, Mr. Roberts, asked her to participate in a freestyle series called COVID Chronicles.
“It was a link that we would go to on Zoom, every Wednesday, and just whoever wanted to make any guest appearances, whoever was talented, whatever they were doing,” said Autrey. “Basically, I was always the person to go to, and I wrote and I spit my freestyle on Zoom, in front of everybody and the whole chat just lit up putting fire signs and stuff like that so from that moment on, I just was always into lyrics and freestyling.”
Wesli Autrey photographed by Kollin Washington
Autrey’s father found out first that she could rap, and her mother found out from her father.
“She dropped down on the floor after she heard my freestyle, because she was just so amazed on how I was able to just put an art together,” said Autrey.
Her father’s videography skills came in handy. Growing up, he recorded music videos for his older cousins. Now, he records Autrey’s videos posted on her page.
“It was a bittersweet moment for him because I am his own child doing this and it was like ‘Let me pour into her’,” said Autrey. She refers to her and her father’s relationship as a dream team. “Me and my father’s relationship strengthened over time because of that.”
Autrey thinks her rapping abilities were inherited. “It is in my DNA, it is in everything,” she said. Her mother was known as the rapper in her friend group, and Autrey followed in her mom’s footsteps.
Faith in God keeps her motivated. She holds onto the vision she had six years ago to continue her career in the music industry.
“I know that me being inspired to be a rapper at age 13, and me writing a whole song and then creating an EP in 2021, that didn’t happen for no reason, that was God too,” said Autrey. “I just get this feeling in my head or reminder to just continue to do it, and I feel like that’s Him speaking to me and I don’t care what no one says.”
Music Muse
Autrey doesn’t discriminate when it comes to music, and it shows through her songs. “I am open to doing new things, the smooth, comforting, loving feeling that R&B gives you,” said Autrey. “You can hear Hip-hop all through my songs. That’s what I am going to deliver all of the time. And now I just want to make some songs when I am harmonizing and I want to be a versatile artist, I don’t want to just be in a box.”
She says she might even experiment with rock music. “You never know,” she said. “I just feel like I want to tiptoe in everything.”
As a music enthusiast, Autry’s favorite artist is Nicki Minaj. Autrey says she gives all of her flowers to the Trinidadian born artist.
“To be a dominant woman in such a competitive field, it is so hard, but she is a Sagittarius and I am a Sagittarius too. I don’t even have to explain after that,” said Autrey. “We are just so strong minded, and we’re so confident. Both of us being a Black woman, both of us being from New York – there is a correlation. She’s definitely inspired me, no doubt.”
Minaj’s music isn’t just about the “raunchy stuff,” as Autrey says. “There’s also this other side to her that she was very transparent about, which I could feel for her because I’m an honest person too,” said Autrey.
She said that Nicki Minaj broke the glass for a lot of female artists, and set the standard for Black female rappers.
“They see Nicki Minaj with colorful wigs, big wigs to the ceiling during her beginning era,” said Autrey. “I just feel like she set the tone for Black women and just being a rapper, and just be yourself. Be crazy, cool, fun, but serious too, serious about your business, serious about your reputation, serious about your money.”
Wesli Autrey photographed by Kollin Washington
Cool, calm, and confident
When deciding on an artist name, Autrey knew she had to use her first name, Wesli. She says most people think Wesli is a masculine name, but her mom wanted to add a touch of femininity for her daughter’s name.
“When I make it in the game, by sticking to my real name, a lot of people are going to be amazed by it,” said Autrey. “My mom did that because it has a feminine touch to it and it is just five big letters, you can type that up easily. It’s not long or drawn out, it’s simple and it means a lot and I feel like I will stand out.”
Autrey might be confident on stage, but she is reserved and shy for the most part. “I know for a fact, when I perform all that shyness goes out the window. I tell myself, ‘Bye Wesli’,” she laughs. “You gotta fake it to make it. I might be shy, but you will never know because I never act like that on that stage.”
She uses her space in the booth to create songs that the generation likes to hear she says.
“In the booth I just try to be mindful of what this generation likes to hear and what the old school people like to hear, but I do have fun though,” said Autrey. “I try to make sure that I have fun because I actually like it, that’s why I am still doing it.”
As the music industry changes, Autrey believes confidence is key. She says you will get used to just being okay and receiving constructive criticism and developing “tough skin.”
Her mom’s advice keeps her focused. Her mom said “When you find something that you love, you won’t feel like you’re working a day of your life and I want to feel like that,” said Autrey. “I want to have a career where I feel like I am not working. I'm doing this because this is just part of my personality, this is part of my hobby.”
After a breakup, Autrey was inspired to write a song to “get her light back” she said. “It is what it is,” her latest single.
“That’s my favorite song at the moment because regardless even if I get into another relationship in the future, there’s still going to be a reminder for me and every time something happens to you like that, you grow and you learn from it,” said Autrey.
The break up might have cost her the relationship but she says that it will inspire a lot of Black females and girls in general.
Wesli Autrey photographed by Kollin Washington
“Know your worth, trust yourself and just take the note that you will find better and sometimes isolation is needed,” said Autrey. “Sometimes you gotta go through these things, God does this so that you could just realize how beautiful and how powerful you are and how much potential you really have.”
Hums from Harlem
Autrey gets her inspiration from the beat and however she feels in that mood she says. She wants to be an artist that gets people talking.
“I feel like this is what the world needs. They need that genuine hardcore, seriousness, but also fun. Something really to talk about,” said Autrey.
Whether it’s a breakup or trying to make it as a female rapper, Autrey always turns to her faith in God and herself.
“If you know that this is what you want to do and this is a gift from God, keep it, and stay consistent with it,” said Autrey.
Autrey raises her hands and gestures to the camera. She flares her nostrils and snarls exposing her top teeth. She is in her element and her safe space as she raps to her song.
“Why was I mad in the first place when I was in first place….” raps Wesli.