Hey y'all, welcome to Biscuits and Jam from Southern Living. I'm your host, Sid Evans.

And today I'm talking with a young country artist who was a breakout star on season nine of The Voice when she was just 16 years old.

Emily Ann Roberts grew up in Carnes, Tennessee, just outside of Knoxville, with hardworking

parents who had deep roots in both faith and music. She went to the church her great-grandfather

founded more than a century ago, the same place where she sang in public for the very first time.

Her dad introduced her to the rougher side of music too, playing a lot of Johnny Cash and

David Allen Coe as they drove around back roads in a pickup truck.

After performing for years in a Mexican restaurant and then being discovered on YouTube,

she went on to become a finalist on the voice, but she soon discovered

there was plenty more work to do. These days, she's making her mark as a fresh new voice in country

music, releasing gritty new songs like scratching out a living, and touring with Megan Maroney.

We'll talk about all that,

plus her love of Southern cooking,

her alter ego,

Yeha, me, ma,

and the advice from Blake Shelton that's guided her every step of the way.

All on this week's Spisket's and Jam.

Well, Emily Ann Roberts, welcome to Biscuits and Jam.

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

It's great to see you. Great to finally connect. Where am I reaching you? Are you at home?

I am at home. We're right here in my kitchen today. And so I'm really excited to be able to do this from home. I feel like I'm traveling all the time. And so anytime

I get to spend here, it's really special. I've got to say just right off the top that I'm a lifelong

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