You might remember her as the fresh-faced teen with a powerhouse classic country voice from TV. Now, Emily Ann Roberts is a CMA New Artist of the Year nominee, and her journey from reality show runner-up to Nashville's 'it' girl is complete.
From Knoxville to 'The Voice'
Long before
she was a household name, Emily Ann Roberts was a young girl from Knoxville, Tennessee, soaking up the sounds of bluegrass and classic country from her dad's car radio. She grew up on Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs, honing her voice by singing gospel tunes with her grandmother. At just 16, a YouTube video of her singing caught the eye of producers for NBC's 'The Voice'. In 2015, she walked onto the audition stage for season nine and earned a two-chair turn from Blake Shelton and Adam Levine with her rendition of 'I Hope You Dance'. She chose Team Blake, a decision that would shape her career for years to come. As a finalist, she stood out for her unapologetically traditional sound, ultimately finishing as the runner-up.
The Post-Show Path Less Traveled
For many singing competition alumni, the road after the show is fraught with pressure to capitalize on sudden fame. Roberts, however, chose a different route. After finishing high school, she moved to Nashville but deliberately took the long way around. She signed with Starstruck Entertainment, her coach Blake Shelton's management team, who advised her to slow down, focus on her songwriting, and find her authentic voice rather than rush-releasing music. For several years, she played smaller shows, wrote songs, and patiently developed her craft. This period was less about chasing fleeting celebrity and more about building a sustainable career, a move she now says she's thankful for, admitting she wasn't ready for a huge career at 16.
Finding Her 'Yeehaw Meemaw' Sound
Roberts' patience paid off. Her 2023 debut full-length album, 'Can't Hide Country,' was a bold declaration of her musical identity. The album was praised for bridging the gap between '90s country and a contemporary sound. But it was her follow-up work, including the 2025 EP 'Memory Lane,' that solidified her place as a unique force in country music. Co-writing every track, she let her guard down and showed more of her personality. This era also saw the birth of her 'Yeehaw Meemaw' persona, a charming brand that blends her on-stage, 'yeehaw' energy with her love for 'meemaw' hobbies like canning, gardening, and crochet, which she shares with a growing audience on social media. This combination of old-school values and modern savvy has made her relatable to Gen-Z fans and their grandmothers alike.
A Full-Circle Nomination
The culmination of this slowburn success is her 2026 nomination for the CMA's New Artist of the Year. The recognition feels like a validation of her choice to stay true to her traditional, fiddleandsteelsoaked sound in a landscape often dominated by pop and rock influences. Her mentor, Blake Shelton, has remained a steadfast supporter, bringing her on his 'Back to the Honky Tonk' and 'Friends & Heroes' tours in 2024 and 2025, giving her invaluable exposure to massive audiences. Those opportunities, combined with the critical and fan success of her recent projects, have propelled her into the mainstream spotlight on her own terms. The nomination isn't just a career milestone; it's a testament to the power of playing the long game.
