Since making the finals last season on “The Voice,” 15-year-old Braiden Sunshine has absorbed career advice from some of the biggest entertainers in the galaxy. That would include his “Voice” team coach Gwen Stefani and show judges Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine; numerous celebrity mentors — Rhianna, Missy Elliot, John Fogerty, Brad Paisley — who appeared on one episode or another; and input from flattered artists like Styx and Blues Traveler, whose tunes were covered by Sunshine during his run to the finals.

But nothing resonated quite as much as a bit of wisdom from Blues Traveler frontman John Popper. Fans might remember that Sunshine successfully auditioned for the top-rated NBC talent program by singing the band’s “The Mountains Win Again” — a rendition so impressive that the band flew the young singer to one of their Las Vegas concerts and got him on stage to perform.

During that visit, Popper pulled Sunshine aside and told him with forthright honesty that, to ensure longtime success in the music biz, it’s almost essential to write one’s own material — that to do so not only ensures creative control of the career but also provides financial security through royalties.

On Wednesday, with the independent release of his debut, self-penned single, “Reality,” Sunshine has taken Popper’s wisdom in literal fashion. And “Reality,” a slice of wistful and yearning folk-pop released in both video and audio download formats, is in fact the first step in a conscious decision by Sunshine, his family — including mother Elizabeth and father David Sunshine — and a newly hired management group to pursue writing and performing exclusively.

Obviously, such a choice means sacrificing conventional teenage experiences, at least to a significant degree.

Seated in a drawing room at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Sunshine has just performed “Reality” for The Day’s “Song Spinner” series. He chose the location because of a fond, longtime association with the O’Neill’s Cabaret Junior Fellows program. Sipping tea and nibbling from a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats, he talks about plans for the future.

“(When ‘The Voice’ ended), I was real concerned about how I was going to juggle everything — school, social life and having a fulltime career,” he says. “We decided that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With this much exposure and everything that is coming out of it, we might be able to make something of this. I mean, it’s a one-in-a-million chance — but it was a one-in-a-million chance that I’d make it as far as I did on the show. So why not give it a shot?”

The career choice was made easier by the concept of online education. “This way,” he smiles, “we can take school wherever we go. We can travel all over the country and don’t have to worry about being back on Monday for a geometry test.”

Sunshine acknowledges that it’s a bit of a change.

“It’s weird not being in school,” he says. “I get home and all my friends are on (PlayStation 4) or something, and we might play games every once in a while, but that’s the only time I get to talk to them anymore. It’s a bit disorienting to not have that social aspect. But I get more time to work on what I need to learn to go forward.”

The Sunshines have entered into a management agreement with a group that includes representatives in Los Angeles as well as Middletown resident Jeff Franklin — who not only produced “Reality” at his Jam Studios but is also a production manager for the Live Nation concerts conglomerate.

In conversation, Sunshine is a charming blend of shy, youthful introspection, musical passion and wide-eyed enthusiasm. And any skeptical self-doubt — he had to be tricked into the “Voice” audition by his mother — has been somewhat quelled by his achievements and exposure to stardom.

In fact, after this conversation, Braiden and Elizabeth would take a ride to Meriden in a provided limo, where the community had proclaimed “Braiden Sunshine Day.” And, Thursday, the Sunshines were back on a plane to Los Angeles. On Saturday, Sunshine and fellow Season Nine “Voicers” Zack Seabaugh, Chance Pena and Cole Criske will perform together at a Charity for Charity event — an organization that raises funds to fulfill the wishes of local residents with life-threatening illnesses or traumatic injuries. Sunshine says it’s a great event and something he’s proud to do — plus he’s looking forward to seeing the new friends he made on the show.

“I’m actually in touch with a lot of people from ‘The Voice,’” he says. “When I’m in California, we get together and hang out and write songs. Those people are good friends of mine. We didn’t just work together and we’re done now that the show’s over. We actually made legitimate connections.”

Sunshine also says he’s frequently asked about whether he’s in touch with the established superstars who serve as judges on “The Voice” — which is something he’s somewhat self-effacing about. Yes, he admits, he does have Stefani’s email address — “But she could always change it” — and Levine has reached out regarding a possible meeting the next time his band, Maroon 5, swings through the Northeast. Styx also invited Sunshine to hang out when they hit town for a Mohegan Sun Arena show in a few weeks — but the tour was canceled due to an illness in headliner Def Leppard’s camp.

“Obviously, I’ve never had options like this before, and they’re all new and amazing experiences,” Sunshine says. “It’s wonderful to make new friends who are trying to do the same things we are, and whatever happens, it’s opened a whole new world and it’s a lot of fun.”

While specific plans aren’t finalized, Sunshine is scheduled to head out on his debut national tour in April. He might perform solo, although possible package dates with “Voice” alums and/or other artists are definite possibilities.

At present, he’s focusing on the stripped-down, singer-songwriter aspect typified by “Reality." He says, “I grew up around campfires, singing with friends — that’s where I learned to play guitar — so doing acoustic music would come easier to me, just from a songwriter’s perspective.”

And while he’s diligently writing more tunes in that style, Sunshine vows to keep his aesthetic options open. “But I draw a little inspiration from someone like John Mayer.” Sunshine gestures emphatically: “I am nowhere NEAR the guitar player that guy is. Compared to him, I can’t play guitar at all. But in his career, he started with a poppy thing and went to blues and now he’s doing Grateful Dead. He’s gone all over the map but what he’s done, he’s done well. He not only changes genres, he masters them. And I want to try to explore other genres and have the freedom to do what feels right.”

Sunshine takes a deep breath and smiles. “A lot of people know who I am now and they want to see what I can do. I really hope they enjoy it.”

r.koster@theday.com

Twitter: @rickkoster