What a strong season for young New Jersey talent on TV! Just three weeks after Old Bridge Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez clinched that Mirrorball trophy on "Dancing With the Stars," Wé McDonald has placed third on "The Voice."

As the Paterson teen puts it, that's out of over 40,000 — something to be extremely proud of. She shared a sweet backstage photo with her celebrity coach, Alicia Keys.

When other New Jersey teens are busy with winter formals, exams and learner's permits, this high schooler got to duet with Grammy and Oscar winner, John Legend:

And, McDonald's original song "Wishes" has been selling strong on iTunes (top ten as of Wednesday), as fans are loving the inspiring message:

Aside from that phenomenal voice that earned her a four-chair turnaround at Voice blind auditions, what really strikes a chord here in Jersey is the family support that Wé has shared on social media:

By earning such a spotlight at just 16-years-old, it's a safe bet we'll be seeing great things to come from this north Jersey teen for years to come. We're proud of you, Wé!


Proud Jersey Girl Erin Vogt’s first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee. A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.

Follow her on Twitter and on Facebook as ProudJersey.

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