All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

‘The Voice’ Season 13 finalist to perform at Way of Holiness Feb. 16

Brooke Simpson and her husband, Ray. Simpson will be performing at The Way of Holiness Church Sunday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

BUCKHANNON – ‘The Voice’ is coming to Way of Holiness Church Sunday … the voice of Brooke Simpson, that is.

Simpson, a finalist on Season 13 of NBC’s “The Voice,” will be at The Way of Holiness Church in Buckhannon Sunday, Feb. 16, and will be singing at the 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. services. Her husband, Ray, will be speaking at the evening service.

Thomas Akers, youth pastor at Way of Holiness, said he’s thrilled Simpson will be joining the congregation for Sunday service and two performances.

“We are honored to have Brooke Simpson join us at our church,” Akers said. “She and her family have visited and ministered at our church several times over the years. It has been exciting watching her journey, and we are looking forward to seeing how God uses her to reach countless individuals through her faith and musical talent.’

The event is free, and everyone’s welcome to attend, Akers said.

According to her bio, Simpson recorded her first song at age two, so she’s no stranger to music. She is a powerhouse vocalist who is passionate about songwriting and people. Growing up, Brooke traveled with her family singing from church to church around the U.S.

Artists such as Christina Aguilera, Tina Turner, The Spice Girls, and many more influenced Simpson, but none more than her mother, Jimille Mills. As Brooke continued to grow and develop vocally, she eventually was crowned Female vocal winner of the International Teen Talent competition, which awarded her the opportunity to attend Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

During her time in college Simpson began to discover who she is an individual and as an artist. Through different life experiences in her college years, she began to dig deeper into songwriting, which led to her recording her first solo EP.

Not long after, Simpson decided to audition for NBC’s “The Voice.” Unfortunately, she didn’t make it past the preliminary rounds, which was discouraging, but it didn’t stop her. As a few years went by Brooke continued to refine her songwriting skills. Little did she know, four later she would be receiving a phone call from a producer of “The Voice” asking her to give the reality show one more try, which she did.

This random opportunity led to her receiving a four-chair turn, a chance to work with Miley Cyrus, charting on the iTunes top 10 week after week, and Brooke getting third place on the show’s 13th season. Now with a large and ever-growing fan base, Simpson is touring, writing, recording and released ‘2AM,’ which charted on the iTunes pop charts and now available on all music platforms.

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