Voice Finalist Brayden Lape Celebrates Reading Month at Grass Lake Middle School

Community News

Brayden Lape, a senior at Grass Lake High School and finalist on NBC’s The Voice, went back to his middle school to celebrate the beginning of March as Reading Month.  Lape performed for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders and shared his story since he was in their place just a few years ago.

Teacher Roger Cook introduced Lape to students and shared his many achievements, from celebrated musician to noteworthy athlete to successful student.

“Reading and writing in middle school helped me become the writer I am now,” Lape said as he talked to the students assembled in the gymnasium.

Brayden recounted the experience of being on The Voice and being chosen from thousands of hopefuls, narrowed to 100, and then being selected to be among the approximately seventy people who went through the competition process.  He talked about what a lively time it was, going back and forth between his regular life and being on the road.

A seventh-grader asked Lape about what inspires him.  Brayden told about how he was a shy elementary student, but now, through living these experiences, he has met people like Blake Shelton.  Lape shared that meeting celebrities has given him the chance to understand that everyone – even Blake Shelton – is a normal person.  He explained how realizing that everybody is just a normal person is what inspires him to keep going.  

“Do the thing that people think you’re not going to do,” Lape shared with students.  “Do those things!”

Lape began his performance with a Morgan Wallen song.  He then went on to sing his most recently written and released, “Be a Man.”  Students were excited when Lape next sang his very first single, “Manitou.”  He concluded with “Wild As Her,” a feature from his time on the 2022 season of The Voice.

The visit ended with a rousing invitation to the Grass Lake High School boys’ basketball playoff games. In addition to his musical talents, Lape is a distinguished athlete.  It was announced that Brayden has committed to play football in college.  GLMS staff members were so pleased to see that Brayden came back to encourage younger students.

“I was in your shoes a couple years ago,” Lape said.  “You never know what’s going to happen!”