A multitalented artist Willa Ford is one of the well-known personality inside the entertainment industry. Having active since 1999, she has appeared in several TV and films as well. She has collaborated with artists like Backstreet Boys and Uncle Kracker.

Early Life & Career

Amanda Lee Williford was born on January 22, 1981, to Donna Sweat and Ralph Everett Williford in Ruskin, Florida. She started seeking her dream of becoming a singer at the age of 8. Chasing after her dreams as a young girl, she sang and performed with multiple local choirs including the Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus.

By the age of eleven, she graduated from the children’s choir and began to sing with a performing arts troupe “Entertainment Revue,” a group meant out of Tampa. She along with twenty other girls ranged from preschoolers to teenagers, Ford traveled and performed in many different areas.

When Ford became fifteen, she part ways with the group and ensured a position with a local quartet, FLA, with whom she worked with briefly during her teen years. During her time here, she was a student at East Bay High School in Florida; she later went on to study opera after her graduation. As a result of her expert training, she is capable of singing in the whistle register.

MCA

Eventually, Ford went to Los Angeles and signed with MCA beneath the stage name of “Mandah.” With the band, she soon released a song “Lullaby‘ which she had written, for the soundtrack of the animated film Pokemon The First Move.

Ford also performed an opening act for the Backstreet Boys, who were peaking in popularity during the late 90’s. Although the song Lullaby offered her a good start in the music industry, it wasn’t until she was noticed by Lava Atlantic Records in the early 2000’s that eventually began working on a debut album after signing with the company.

Debut Album

Under Lava Atlantic, she released her debut studio album “Willa Was Here” in July 2001. The album comprised the single ‘I Wanna Be Bad’ and used smooth pop/R&B grooves and hot dance beats and vocoders. The album became a multi-platinum smash worldwide, reaching 56 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

As a singer and co-writer, she co- wrote with South Korea pop star; Park Ji Yoon entitled Nustified in 2002, which appeared on Parks 5th album Man.

Willa arrived back with a hot dance song that forever praised a sorority chant A Toast To Men which displayed guest rapper, Lady May in 2013. The single was from her unreleased sophomore album “Sexysexobsessive.” The album did excellent, however, of some legalities at her label, her album was not released and caused her to leave the label and go in search of a new one.

In 2010, Willa released the first song “All This Time” which was co-operated with Riley Smith. In 2011, Ford continued her music career with a performance at The Viper Room in LA. In the performance, she disclosed her first solo song since 2003, “Back Back Back.” In 2014, Willa was starred in the song “Rock Tonight” by Eve Nelson, Willa Ford, and Ray Cervenka.

Acting Career

After starting her acting career from The Mind of the Married Man, a TV series in 2001, and appeared in an episode of the short-lived television sitcom “Raising Dad,” playing a bully named Edie in 2001.

In 2007, Ford starred in a biographical film “The Anna Nicole Smith Story” which was based on the real-life story of Anna Nicole Smith and produced by Joseph Nasser, the movie depicted the tragic live of the American model of Playboy fame, who tragically passed away after suffering from a fatal drug overdose.

She also made her appearance as a supporting character in the TV movie, A Father’s Secret ( 2016) and other films and series such as Magic City ( 2012), Universal Squadrons ( 2014), The Nurse ( 2014), Any Day ( 2015) and much more.

Personal Life

Willa Ford married twice in her life; first, she married hockey player Mike Modano on August 25, 2007, in a small, private ceremony in Athens, Texas. After living together around seven years, Ford and Modano announced that they were divorcing in August 2012.

Then, she married former NFL linebacker Ryan Nece on April 2015. On March 2016, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. On September 7, 2016, Ford gave birth to a son. In a later interview, they revealed that their child’s name is Elijah Everett Mandel Nece, a name which holds biblical significance and honors his grandparents.

Willa Ford with her husband, Ryan Nece
Source: A Good Affair

Net Worth

Besides her appearances on TV series and films, she has also featured magazines. She was ranked #71 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list and was on FHM magazine’s 2005 pin-up calendar in June 2005. The 5′ 7 singer and actress has a seductive body measurement of 36-24-34 inches. Her estimated net worth is $1 million.

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