Glen Cove native Shye Roberts advanced on Tuesday to the final five of “The Voice.”
Roberts wowed the judges on Monday night as one of eight contestants during the show’s first live performances with a rendition of “The Joke” by Brandi Carlile, drawing comparisons to some of the greatest singers by her coach, Michael Bublé.
“Barbra, Adele. Celine. Shye,” Michael Bublé said, drawing a clear line with some of the greats. “No pressure, girlfriend. I never hear anybody in any competition that sounds like you.”
The four lowest vote-getters in the contest performed for the fifth spot on Tuesday in a bid to join Roberts and four others seeking a $100,000 and a recording contract with Universal Music Group.
“It’s been a fantastic experience,” Roberts said on Tuesday before the results were announced. “I’m just proud of myself and everybody else who has performed.”
After blowing coaches away with her rendition of “Story of My Life” during the playoffs, Roberts advanced to the live shows, which are determined by votes from the audience. In previous rounds, contestants were selected by their coaches.
“I really am just grateful more than anything,” Roberts said. “I am happy that Michael [Bublé] has seen so much in me and has kept me in the competition this long.”
During the live shows, the audience votes for their favorite artist. The three singers with the fewest votes is sent home until the final artist is named ‘The Voice.’
“It’s just been such an amazing experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Roberts said.
Roberts grew up in Glen Cove and began her singing career at Robert Finlay Middle School.
After performing in the school musicals, Roberts started performing around Glen Cove and booking gigs, like singing the national anthem at Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck’s inauguration in 2022.
During her senior year of high school, Roberts and her family moved to Pennsylvania due to her mother’s medical problems.
Roberts said it was her mother who told her to apply for ‘The Voice. “It wasn’t until after her mother took ill and her family moved to Pennsylvania for treatment that she was willing to do it.
“This competition, I really owe it to her and to my teacher, Jenn, for even suggesting and sending me the link [to apply],” she said.
Now that she’s on the show, her mother has remained an important part of her journey.
Roberts said she goes to her for advice on how to add artistic decisions to her performance.
Throughout the competition, Roberts has toed the line of “playing it safe, but also doing risky things that are going to impress and show my emotions and my voice,” she said.
She said she has always added her flair to songs, even when performing in school musicals.
Artistic decisions help “to put your own spin on it, and kind of show your emotion and your stape as an artist,” she said.
When she adds her own flair and changes a melody, Roberts said it creates a stronger personal connection to the song.
“It’s staying true to myself,” Roberts said.
Roberts said the show has provided her with experience and knowledge about the music industry.
“I would love to have a career in music, or even in acting,” Roberts said. “I really love performing.”
“I love being able to display that side of myself,” she said.
Roberts said performing allows her to “connect with the story and with the people through the story.”
“I am just so grateful that, even at my age, I was able to have such a wonderful time here and get the chance to do something like this,” she said.
