The Voice finalist Brooke Simpson performs in Warren County, brings attention to UNC student's murder
Halifax-native and NBC’s The Voice finalist Brooke Simpson performed in Warren County Saturday night for a special concert, bringing attention to the tragedies her tribe has faced.
Simpson performed at her Haliwa Saponi Tribe’s Pow Wow, with the purpose of bringing healing after a devastating loss.
Just weeks ago, Roderick Blue Sky Mills, a member of the tribe, was murdered.
“No matter what happens, let us not be broken, but let us be stronger than we ever have before, and let’s be one,” Simpson said.
Simpson's voice carried comfort for many through the Haliwa Saponi Tribe.
“We’re just going through a really hard time right now, and we just miss him so much,” Sheena Freeman said.
And for the first time, Simpson sang a song she wrote in memory of another victim of violence -- her cousin, murdered UNC-Chapel Hill student Faith Hedgepeth.
"I've never performed this song live before. It was a while ago our community lost a very special person,” Simpson said. “I knew that I didn’t want to perform it anywhere else until I could sing it at home, so it just felt like the right time.”
The tribe is still looking for answers in Hedgepeth's 2012 murder that happened at her college apartment in Chapel Hill. Simpson is hoping her recent fame will bring new attention to her cousin’s unsolved case.
“I just want us to stand as one, and this is the time that we need to be need to be together to heal together more than any other time,” Simpson said.
Giving a voice to her tribe isn't anything new for the singer. Simpson said she opted out of attending one of the country's biggest music festivals to perform at her tribe's Pow Wow.
“Right now they have Coachella going on, I'm like no I don't need Coachella, I have ‘Powchella,’ that's what I'm putting everywhere on Instagram,” Simpson said.
She said through following her singing dreams, she also wants to bring a national spotlight on Native American culture.
“Little did I know I would be shedding light on tribes all across the United States and even out of the U.S., so yeah it's awesome,” Simpson said.
