Authenticity has always been in the heart and soul of Knoxville, Tennessee, native Emily Ann Roberts. From performing on The Voice in high school to making her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, Roberts has never shied away from a challenge or someone telling her she needs to change. Since the beginning of her career, she has continued to make a promise to herself that the music she performs will always be an accurate representation of who she is.
The southeast region, which she calls home, cemented her foundation in country music from a young age, as it was always around her when she grew up. Situated between Nashville and the Appalachian Mountains, Roberts was exposed to a wide variety of bluegrass and country music from such an impressionable age. From listening to old records in her parents’ car or travelling around her hometown of Knoxville, country music has always been ingrained in her everyday life.
Roberts admits she’ll always have a soft spot for old music. She has worn out countless records and tapes because of her love for artists like Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton, and others who helped shape her sound. “I owe the music that I make and my style to where I’m from. There is such a rich history of tradition and of both bluegrass and country music,” Roberts explained.
The line between traditional country and bluegrass music hasn’t always been the clearest, but Emily Ann Roberts has used that blurred line to develop a very distinctive style of her own. Harkening back to the legends before her, she always thought the two genres went hand in hand and could coexist in the music world. Throughout her first album, Roberts emphasized bluegrass-rooted instruments like the banjo, but she would always reel it back in with a soft fiddle to give the twangy sound she is so fond of.
With so many phenomenal acts in this modern scene, Roberts feels a special connection to the other women who share her passion for honesty through their music. “I love the girls that are so unique, Mae Estes, Belle Frantz, Gabriella Rose, and Ella Langley. Those girls are so inspiring to me because there’s no one else like them and no one else is doing it like they do it and no one else is doing things the way that they do it,” Roberts said. “I think that the most entertaining and inspiring music to listen to is the kind when they’re not trying to play by anyone else’s rules and are just unapologetically themselves.”
When remarking on the current neo-traditional scene, Roberts couldn’t help but mention two of its leading acts in Zach Top and Jake Worthington, who are alongside “a really cool crop of youngins that are coming up and making some really cool music.”
Gearing up for her sophomore release, Roberts is using this project to take the listeners on a deeper journey about herself. Her debut album was her introduction into the music world, where she declared who Emily Ann Roberts is as an individual and that she won’t back down from her true self. “I wanted to put a stake in the ground and let everyone know this is who I am and this is what I stand for,” she shared boldly.
With so many emotions poured into this record, its core message is about the different ways love shows itself, and how people grow and discover what it means daily. In its development, Roberts worked with different writers to analyze what trends are working in music and how to make them her own. She observed that while many female artists are releasing songs expressing strong disdain for men, this album uniquely offers uplifting messages that resonate with both men and women alike.
Released back in January, “Easy Does It” talks about an individual’s struggles while trying to mature and understand what it means to be in love. “I talked about how love is supposed to be a certain way because of the music that I listen to and the books that I read, and it made me realize that nobody is entertained by love that is simple,” Roberts said. With each song she shares, she aims to reveal a different side of the story, offering her audience another aspect of her life and hoping her music can reach even more people than before. “It’s like when you’re going on second and third dates with somebody. You get to know them on the first date, but once we hit the second, third, or fourth dates, you start to know them, and I hope listeners really can understand me with this record,” she explained.
Roberts has always had a unique appreciation and respect for those who have paved the way before her. Her latest single, “The Fence,” was written by Roberts, Paul Sikes, and critically acclaimed writer Jessi Alexander. “That day, I felt like I was taking a class in songwriting; it was absolutely incredible to work with her,” Roberts said. The trio would go on to craft a song that again centers around love and the rollercoaster of emotions that individuals go through every day.
While her desire to be transparent and direct with her fans is appreciated by many, Emily Ann still faced some backlash from people trying to alter her sound to “fit in” more. As an ongoing battle many other artists face daily, no one has a one-size-fits-all answer. “The truth is, everyone wants something different, but no one wants to stick their neck out and fight till they know it’s going to work,” Roberts offered. After grinding in the industry for 10 years at this point, she has encountered people saying that her music is “too country” or sounds like it’s trying to be something it shouldn’t be; through all the criticism, she’s stayed honest to the music she believes in and the songs that tell a complete and honest story. However, there is still one person that the Tennessee native dreams of collaborating with one day: Dolly Parton. “Even if I can just watch her write a song, I adore and look up to her so much.”
Since getting her start on national television, a seasoned performer like her could write a book on what it means to command a stage. However, as a student of the craft first and foremost, the rising star has had the opportunity to learn from legends like Blake Shelton and Jamey Johnson while still learning more about herself on her headlining shows. “I feel like I’m in a college course when I’m back there. I’m taking mental notes of everything that is happening,” she said. While there are so many aspects of a live show worth noting, she’s quickly realized that not everything will fit into her show. With such a limited catalog, she isn’t free to change up her setlist every night like Johnson and Shelton can. She has learned how to capture a room’s attention with her songs and tries to deliver the same energy to people who are either seeing her for the first time or the fifth time.
As time has passed, Roberts has come to understand that the showmanship required for her music isn’t always the same for someone else’s, and the planning that goes into a show is unlike any other. “I’ve watched a lot of shows and thought about things that I want to do, and I’ve seen some that have things I don’t want to do, and that lesson is just invaluable to me as an artist myself,” Roberts said. The way that Blake Shelton can make an arena or amphitheater show feel like an intimate performance for a few is a skill that is revered by so many, and Roberts is forever grateful for the wisdom that Shelton bestowed on her night after night.
During her time backstage, she’s noticed some people’s talent for captivating an audience, turning an arena of thousands of people into a small concert hall, and giving each fan an experience they will never forget. A skill that takes artists decades to master, Roberts has benefited firsthand from learning how Blake Shelton garners the attention of thousands every night.
As Emily Ann Roberts prepares for her next release, she hopes everyone will find something they enjoy.
Every track is produced to capture a specific memory from her life, and each instrument is layered with purpose. “I’m trying to go even further with this second record and be more honest,” Roberts said. Surrounded by music her whole life, Emily Ann Roberts seeks to continue the artistic lifestyle of telling stories and immersing the listeners into her own life.
