Before Emily Ann Roberts released her debut album Can’t Hide Country, she was just a girl from Knoxville, Tennessee who dreamed of singing in front of thousands. Never losing that dream, the singer eventually found herself a finalist on Season 9 of The Voice in 2015. Though Roberts didn’t win, her time on the show left a lasting impression on coach Blake Shelton. Nearly a decade later, she is preparing to go on tour with the former coach.
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Sharing the massive changes in her life over the last few years with People, Roberts explained how she struggled to find her footing in country music. “For a lot of years, I was trying to fit into a mold. I wasn’t happy with it. So, it’s so good to have things happening now that I’m truly proud of,” she said.
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Roberts’ struggles, she said, came from wondering if people wanted to hear what she had to say. “There were times when I was looking for reasons to believe, and I was wondering if there were people out there who are looking for an artist like me,” she related. “Is there somebody out there who’s going to believe in what I have to say and what I want to bring to the table?”
A Storyteller at Heart
Shelton helped Roberts find an answer to her dilemma when he extended an invitation for her to perform with him on his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, which kicks off in February. Not only that, but Roberts received high praise for her album Can’t Hide Country.
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With her new album featuring a range of emotions, Roberts revealed how her love for telling stories helped shape her music. “I think I just grew up in a family that like to tell stories and make people laugh. And I probably exaggerate a lot and stretch things sometimes,” she said. “That’s just a part of who I am, and it comes out in my songwriting as well. And I think that’s important. Life doesn’t have to be serious all the time.”
As for her place in country music, Roberts said she believes the special ingredient is being authentic. “I think that that’s what makes country music so special. It seems like there’s room for all of it. It’s real. People want to hear about real life.”
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