Reyna Roberts (born 15 August 1997) is an American

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

singer-songwriter and pianist. She is known for her July 2020 debut single, "Stompin' Grounds" as well as multiple appearances on

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

's ''

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...

''. One of the few visible

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

women in country music, Roberts is known for advocating for "acknowledging the past" of country music, which includes acknowledging Black artist mentors such as

Lesley Riddle Lesley "Esley" Riddle (June 13, 1905 – July 13, 1979) was an African American musician whose influence on the Carter Family helped to shape country music. Riddle was born in Burnsville, North Carolina, United States. He grew up with his pater ...

, and learning the history of the

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

and the term "Music City" for

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

Early life

Roberts was born in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

and raised in

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

and

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Both of her parents were combat engineers in the Army. She was born two months

premature Premature may refer to: * ''Premature'' (2014 film), an American comedy film * ''Premature'' (2019 film), an American romantic drama film * ''PREMature'', a 2015 British television drama miniseries See also * Premature aging, of an organism * P ...

, weighing two pounds; when her family heard that she might have cognitive, physical, visual and vocal developmental issues, they used music to aid her brain development. The first time Roberts performed music was at the age of three, when her mother took her to a

karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music is ...

bar in Alaska. When she was 10 years old, her family lost their home but paid for a storage unit to store her piano so Roberts could continue practicing the instrument. She continued playing in the family storage unit for three years. Roberts moved with her parents multiple times in her childhood, living in Alaska, Alabama, Tennessee and California. Their move to California was to further her music career, not because of her parents' work. Throughout high school Roberts competed on her high school wrestling team, and she began songwriting to woo the captain of the team. She recorded the resulting song, "Lying to Myself," in 2014. In 2016, she released the EP "The Beginning," which included the song "I'm Coming For Ya" and went on the Spring High School Nation Tour. She toured around the U.S. and opened for the

Plain White T's Plain White T's are an American Rock music, rock band from Lombard, Illinois, formed in 1997 by high school friends Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio, and Ken Fletcher, and joined a short time later by Steve Mast. The group had a mostly underground music, ...

Career

Roberts lived in Nashville and Los Angeles from 2018 to 2020, going to songwriting camps to learn the craft and network with other songwriters and artists, and she met her current managers, Ryan McMahan and Larry Pareigis, during this period. She permanently relocated to Nashville in March 2020. In June 2020, country-music singer Mickey Guyton posted a video of Roberts performing a cover of

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...

's song "Drinking Alone." Carrie Underwood retweeting the video gave Roberts industry recognition and starting traction in the country-music business. In July 2020, Roberts released "Stompin' Grounds," which was co-written and produced by

Noah Henson Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the Antediluvian, pre-Flood Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bibl ...

. Roberts joined CMT's Next Women in Country 2021 class along with Ashland Craft,

Priscilla Block Priscilla Block (born August 11, 1995) is an American country music singer–songwriter. Upon graduating high school, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in the country industry. In 2020, Block wrote and recorded a song that appe ...

Brittney Spencer Brittney Spencer (born September 8, 1988) is an American country singer–songwriter. Spencer received notable attention following a viral Twitter video showing Spencer singing a cover of song by The Highwomen. The video drew praise from fellow c ...

, Hannah Dasher,

MacKenzie Porter MacKenzie Lea Porter (born January 29, 1990) is a Canadian country music, country singer, songwriter, and actress. She has released one self-titled album and achieved four Canada Country number ones with "About You (MacKenzie Porter song), About ...

, Harper Grae,

Tenille Arts Tenille Jade Dakota Arts (born April 19, 1994) is a Canadian country music singer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. She released a self-titled extended play and her debut studio album '' Rebel Child'' with 19th & Grand Records before signing a joint ...

, Sacha, and

Chapel Hart Chapel Hart is an American country music vocal group from Poplarville, Mississippi. Its members are sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart, and their cousin Trea Swindle, all three of whom are vocalists. The group has independently released two studi ...

. In March 2021, she was named one of RADIO.COM's "Leading Ladies" of Country Music. She toured with Jamey Johnson on his 2021 summer tour, opening for him in seven cities in the Deep South. In August, she performed in her first festival in

Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

at the Watershed Fest. In August 2021, Roberts signed on with Nashville-based publishing company Eclipse Music Group. In October 2021, Roberts was featured in Amazon Music's "Breakthrough Country Live" initiative. In June 2024, Roberts' "Raised Right" was nominated in the Country (Crossover) category for the Hollywood Independent Music Awards.

Advocacy

In addition to her music career, Roberts has raised money for military service members and veterans, as well as

Rett Syndrome Rett syndrome (RTT) is a genetic disorder that typically becomes apparent after 6–18 months of age and almost exclusively in females. Symptoms include impairments in language and coordination, and repetitive movements. Those affected often h ...

Awareness, The Wounded Warrior Project, Teen Impact Affiliates, and the Empowerment Project. She and her family are in the process of founding an organization to support homeless veterans.

Artistry

Roberts has cited

Chris Stapleton Christopher Alvin Stapleton (born April 15, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and grew up in Staffordsville, Kentucky. In 2001, Stapleton moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to ...

Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on the ''Billboard (magazine) ...

and

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

among her musical influences. After moving to Nashville in 2020, Roberts has written and performed with the likes of Jamey Johnson.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Extended Plays

References

External links

Reyna Roberts - YouTube
YouTube Page {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Reyna 21st-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American women African-American country musicians African-American women musicians American country singer-songwriters American women country singers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) America's Got Talent contestants