BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Reba McEntire exclaimed Shye Roberts' voice sounded like butter while Gwen Stefani turned her chair after only hearing a few notes.
Roberts, a Bethlehem singer, got a four-chair turn on Tuesday night's blind auditions on "The Voice" from judges Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, McEntire and Stefani.
"I need to seriously pray for a minute because I have not been this excited this season for an artist," Stefani said after the 17-year-old belted out a soulful rendition of Five for Fighting's "Superman (It's Not Easy)."
Local star
Roberts, a 2024 graduate of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, said on the reality competition that she skipped her high school graduation, held on June 10, to audition for the NBC show — now airing its 26th season.
Roberts was a student at the charter school for the 2023-2024 school year and was a member of its treble and touring choir.
She also performed at the charter school's coffeehouse performances at Godfrey Daniels in Bethlehem and won best soloist at the school's adjudicated performance through WorldStrides in New Orleans in 2023.
"Shye Roberts' performance last night moved our entire school community. We are excited that the world will now get to experience Shye's beautiful artistry, talent, composure and spirit," said Christina Lincoln, the South Bethlehem school's executive director and CEO.
One of her teachers, Erica Dickson, was equally excited when reached by email.
"Our music students are unbelievably talented, work tirelessly at their craft, and are mature well beyond their years, just as Shye demonstrated Tuesday night."Erica Dickson, artistic director of vocal music, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
"The music faculty and I had the honor to work closely with Shye who was a dedicated student as well as a gifted vocalist and performer," Dickson said. "Our music students are unbelievably talented, work tirelessly at their craft, and are mature well beyond their years, just as Shye demonstrated Tuesday night.
"We will all be cheering for Shye whose journey will certainly inspire former, current, and future music students."
This is the second time a Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts student has appeared on "The Voice."
In 2013, Christian Porter, a singer based in the Poconos, joined Blake Shelton's team on Season Four of the show.
'I love your voice'
Before picking her coaching team, Roberts revealed she was a rock and crystals collector.
Onstage, she gifted McEntire a tiger's eye gemstone and Snoop Dogg a pyrite crystal.
Despite the compliments from the three coaches, Roberts chose Bublé as her coach.
The "After All" crooner called Roberts "sweet and adorable."
"I'm happily shocked. There is so much goodness pouring out of her," Bublé said.
Roberts will go on to compete in the next stages of competition which include battle rounds, knockouts, playoffs and live performance shows.
"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.
