SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
13-year-old Maple Valley singer joins Brandi Carlile on stage
Jun 15, 2018, 11:15 PM
It’s been a whirlwind past few months for 13-year-old Maple Valley boy Benicio Bryant. After placing second in Germany’s “The Voice Kids,” he recently got the chance to perform alongside Brandi Carlile at Tahoma High School.
One of my teachers was talking about this benefit,” Bryant told KIRO Radio’s Ron and Don. “She was like, ‘Why don’t I see if you can go?’ And then the next day she told me that I got to perform with Brandi Carlile.”
“It was just shocking, like ‘Oh my gosh, no way!’ I couldn’t wait to tell my mom.”
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Bryant is a 7th grader at nearby Summit Trail Middle School, and has been singing since he was 2 years old. On her Facebook page, Carlile wrote:
LISTEN to this 13 year old boy sing this song – this happened at a little jam I did at Tahoma (my old high school) this kid jumped up on stage with me and SLAYED “The Joke” Benicio Bryant is his name- you’ll be hearing it again! …. Keep singing Benicio “I have seen how it ends”
After Brandi Carlile performance, Bryant is finding new fans
Just a few months before, producers for Germany’s international singing competition “The Voice Kids” discovered Bryant’s YouTube channel, and invited him to sing. He made it all the way to the finals. Along with the Carlile performance, Bryant finds himself reaching numerous fans around the world.
“I want to thank everyone’s who’s been supporting me through this whole journey,” Bryant said. “I’ve been singing since I was little and everyone’s been so supportive.”
To hear more of his music, follow Bryant on Facebook.
