Finalist on The Voice  & Rising Nashville Singer Making Her Charleston Debut On  Blake Shelton's 'Friends & Heroes Tour'

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer 

While she is still may not a household name, 26 year old up and coming Nashville songstress Emily Ann Roberts is making steady headway in country music. Nearly nine years removed from when she came in runner-up on NBC's The Voice, Roberts is coming into her own, and on the road with her Voice coach Blake Shelton on his 'Friends & Heroes Tour'. 

Shelton's star studded tour includes Craig Morgan, Deana Carter, and Trace Adkins, allowing Roberts major exposure. "I'm the only opener on this particular tour." She says Shelton has been supportive of her career since mentoring her on the competitive reality singing show a decade ago. "Blake has remained a wonderful friend since we first met. He's kind and welcoming, and always reached out to help me advance my career."

Roberts joined Shelton in 2024 on his 'Back to the Honky Tonk' tour as well. "That really provided me a boost. Last year I was able to open for Jamey Johnson and Clint Black. I really started to see a big difference in my followers."

Perhaps if it hadn't been for divine intervention the Knoxville native may not have been in this position. "I started singing and writing songs before high school, which lead to performing in Knoxville. My dad would film a lot of my performances and upload them to YouTube."

She goes on to say. "In 2015 he gets an email from a casting producer with The Voice asking if I wanted to try out for the show. I was excited and a bit nervous at the same time. So we headed down to Atlanta for an audition. I made it through that process and a few months later we're on a plane to Los Angeles to participate in the blind auditions for The Voice."

For her audition, she sang Leann Womack’s 'I Hope You Dance'. Shelton was the first to turn his chair, followed by Adam Levine, prompting Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams to eventually commit. "Blake was the first, and for me he was the obvious choice. I've always been a fan of country music and I felt he would be the best coach to help me along that path."

Ultimately Roberts would come in second place to Jordan Smith, a singer she has great respect for and says is phenomenal. Roberts world return home to finish high school before making her way to Music City USA to work with Starstruck Entertainment, the same company who manages Blake Shelton.

Looking back Roberts admits 2015 and 2016 were a combined whirlwind experience. "Without question The Voice opened so many opportunities for me. I went from writing songs in my bedroom to co-writing songs with seasoned writers in Nashville." In 2018 she released her first single 'Stuck on Me and You', which charted in the top 40 on iTunes. She followed with a her first EP and a couple of gospel releases, before getting married to her high school sweetheart in 2020.

While the pandemic may have caused her and the entertainment industry to pull back on live performances, Roberts continued to write music. She released her first full length album 'Can't Hide Country' in 2023. Critics overall concurred she has a fresh voice and bridges 1990's country music to todays contemporary sound. 

Roberts agrees. "I'm very proud of that album, and happy it was well received. It speaks to who I am. The songs I write and record are reflective of all that's happening around me. I've been writing songs in Nashville for eight or nine years now, and I feel I'm growing as a songwriter."

In retrospect Roberts admits she's somewhat relieved she didn't take first place on The Voice. "It would have been nice, but I'm thankful I didn't win. God has a plan. I was young, hadn't finished high school. Looking back I wasn't ready."

Roberts says her time in Nashville and a steady release of new songs has been a welcome progression. "For sure. Music is all I've done since I've arrived here. I feel totally blessed to be able to do what I love as a career." Opening for veteran country music performers has definitely helped her solo shows. "I recently sold out an 800 seat theater in my home town of Knoxville."

She hopes her latest tour with Blake Shelton will only further advance her musical career and garner her more followers. "It's an opportunity of a lifetime. I'm playing in these 10 and 15 thousand seat arenas, and I get to introduce myself to larger audiences. And the other artists on tour have been really supportive of my music. Again, I'm just thankful that Blake for helping me along my way in country music."

Roberts' debuted her latest single 'Easy Does It' on the Grand Old Opry stage back in January, and admits it's been well received on the current tour. The heartfelt ballad, penned by Roberts with Autumn Buysse and Jason Haag, speaks to concerns women have about meaningful relationships. "I'm very proud of the song and its message, and super excited I get to introduce the song to thousands of country music fans every night." 

Charleston country music fans will have an opportunity to see and hear Emily Ann Roberts in person when Blake Shelton's 'Friends & Heroes' tour makes a pit stop at the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday March 14th. The star studded concert with Craig Morgan, Deana Carter, & Trace Adkins kicks off at 7pm. This is Roberts first time performing in Charleston. "I've been there on vacation but never had the pleasure to play, so I'm looking forward to performing because I know Charleston has a lot of country music fans."

For more on the Charleston concert visit https://www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com/events/detail/blake-shelton-1 and
for more on Roberts including links to her catalog of songs visit her website at https://www.emilyannroberts.com/