[10] They have cited Donna Summer, Sylvester, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, and Beyoncé as their influences.

[10] Newell's self-taped audition earned them over one million MySpace views as well as a spot among the 12 participants who competed for a seven-episode arc on Glee.

The shy, outcast Wade expressed their female identity through music as the bold, brave alter ego, Unique.

Newell was accepted into the Berklee College of Music for fall 2012, but decided instead to move to Los Angeles to be on Glee when they were asked to rejoin the cast for the show's fourth season.

Newell, along with the rest of the cast, received a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2012, but lost to Modern Family.

[19][20] In the sixth and final season, Newell was not a part of the regular cast, but did appear as a recurring guest star.

[26] Later in the same month, they produced a disco-house stylization of Robin S.'s single "Show Me Love" together with Russian DJ Matvey Emerson.

They then began to collaborate with the US electroduo the Knocks on the song "Collect My Love", "a soaring disco standout" where they reached "staggering heights.

Spin said: "Newell's unassailable voice is in full force on 'This Ain't Over,' shining out like a triumphant beacon over a thumping, glamorous dance-pop soundscape.

"[29] "This Ain't Over" was announced as the first track off their debut extended play called Power, featuring production from the pop artists Diane Warren, Nile Rodgers, MNEK and DJ Cassidy.

[28] Newell supported fellow Glee alum Adam Lambert on tour from February 23[30] until the April 2 finale at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre in 2016.

[31] In 2019, Newell was cast in NBC's musical dramedy Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist in the role of Mo, a genderfluid DJ and the protagonist's next-door neighbor.

In December 2021, The Roku Channel released a two-hour holiday film, Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas, concluding the story of the NBC series.

[40] They contributed with music to the HBO TV series Vinyl on a track also featuring DJ Cassidy and Jess Glynne.

[41] They are committed to helping other LGBT youth and regularly performs at benefit concerts, most notably for The Trevor Project,[8] the Human Rights Campaign,[20] Jack Antonoff's Ally Coalition and other fundraisers.