Meet Ai’Ja McFee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ai’Ja McFee.

Ai’Ja, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I was always my mother’s child that would wander off somewhere to watch interviews of artists, rap battles of underground artists or listen to my music. I remember one time my mom and my sisters were all in the room with me and of course I had my earphones in, then all of a sudden everybody got up and ran out the room, now whenever you see people run you get up and run as well so thats what I did. I got to the living room, and they were all laughing while I was panicking, asking what happened? and my mom says, “nothing you need to stop having your earphones so loud in case something does happen.

The love for music has always been there, but as I grew older, it has gotten stronger. When I graduated high school and started attending Clark Atlanta University, I was sure what I wanted to do until I realized how big music was in Atlanta. Being in Atlanta turned the spark for my passion for music into a beautiful flame. Once I changed my major (for the fourth time) to Mass Media Arts, I immediately fell in love. The professors were teaching with passion, assignments were no longer homework but now career work, and everything was interesting.

I began taking a course with a professor by the name of Christopher Daniel. After attending his class, I realized how educated he was not only in his career but in its surrounding areas as well. I went to his office whenever I got the chance to and just talked to him about how I want to do Radio Personality, and how I wanted to do Blogging and etc. until after so many visits, he said: “but what have you done?” At that moment, I realized I could no longer go to his office without something to show. The next visit, I told him I started my YouTube channel, and he responded, asking all these questions that were essential, but I didn’t have answers to.

Until I found those answers, I made sure whatever was going on in the Mass Media arts department, I had something to do with it. Whenever we had a special guest, I was around asking if it was help needed. After so long, I became part of the logistics team, which put me in a better position to network. I started to meet all kinds of people in these major positions. During one of our visits from a special guest, I had just got done setting up, and professor Daniel walked over, conversed with me for about one minute, and said, “You should have been the one interviewing,” and walked away. When he said that I knew I had to make it happen, and once it did everything changed.

I started making sure I was the one interviewing whoever I had the chance to. I started randomly direct messaging artists, and after so long, I started to get responses. I started applying for internships and after so many nos, I got a yes. Now when I go talk to Professor Daniel, I have answers for him I have two internships, one at Think its a game and one at Freebandz, I have done seven interviews, I have a YouTube channel that I am active on, I have hosted a press junket for an artist, and I am now being featured on VoyageATL in which I am very thankful for.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is always going to be a struggle, it’ll be a smooth road for a while, and then it’ll be a speed bump somewhere along the road. It could be struggling with things such as timing, everybody’s availability may not be the same. It could be the location. Artists may not be in the area I am in. Unexpected things, something could pop up at any time that can push others aside or out the way that may not be in that person’s control. Communication could be a struggle. At some point, there will be a struggle, but it’s all about passing those speed bumps to get to your targeted destination because that is what’s insight. The destination.

Please tell us about your work.
My Radio Show is called The Meet and Greet. At the Meet and Greet, public figures come and get interviewed by me, who goes by the name HeyAiJa. My purpose is to interview the guest to help their audience better understand them as a human being and not just this public figure. I believe many celebrities deal with a handful of problems because people expect them to act a certain way because of the position they are in, forgetting their still human beings at the end of the day. I feel public figures dont have the opportunity to live their life because they’re expected to live it for their fans and others. I am known for having good questions and orchestrating my interviews as conversations and not just questionnaires. I am most proud to have had the special guest I’ve had and the recognition I have been getting. I believe my personality and passion sets me aside from others.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my favorite memory from my childhood would have to be when I would go to a program around the corner from my house with my siblings called Gods Game. They would have different activities for all the kids that would come, snacks, and etc. It was always a good time there. It was always something to do. Sometimes it would be Then eventually the program was over.

Contact Info:

• Email: Themagatl@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyaija/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/heyAiJa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwTjW1e-aj9R3jn-zwH25iw

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