Glen Cove native Shye Roberts ended her remarkable journey on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ by being named the Season 26 runner-up, with her teammate Sophronio Vasquez claiming the title. Both members of Team Michael Bublé, Roberts and Vasquez delivered standout performances throughout the competition, but it was their camaraderie and mutual support that captured audience members’ hearts.
“Y’all, I … wanted 2nd place so bad,” Shye wrote on Instagram after the finale. “I am so … happy right now, you don’t even understand.” Her genuine joy underscored her pride in Vasquez and her gratitude for her experience on the show.
Roberts, 18, first wowed an audience during her blind audition, with a stirring rendition of Five for Fighting’s “Superman,” earning a coveted four-chair turn from judges Bublé, Gwen Stefani, Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg. Her poignant delivery of the line “It’s not easy to be me” appeared to resonate with viewers and judges alike.
“I always thought that was such a sweet and impactful moment,” said Bublé, her coach. “She has this wonderful ability to make you feel every word she sings.”
Reflecting on her decision to join Team Bublé, Roberts said that the singer has a passion for storytelling through music. She knew he would help her dig deeper into her emotions in every performance. And Bublé’s mentorship extended beyond the stage, with regular texts and calls offering feedback on her performances and advice on her artistic growth.
“Michael was incredibly supportive,” Roberts said. “He taught me to be myself on stage and focus on connecting with the audience.”
The finale showcased Roberts’s talents in a duet performance with Bublé of “Something Stupid,” a classic hit by Frank and Nancy Sinatra. Bublé praised the song choice for its sweet and timeless quality, saying, “I wanted something that would let us connect in a meaningful way.” Their performance highlighted the bond they had forged throughout the competition.
Roberts’s journey to “The Voice” was rooted in her early love of music, which developed when she was growing up in Glen Cove. Born Madison Roberts, she was musically talented even as a toddler.
“She was barely walking, but she could whistle,” her mother, Sheila Roberts-Creen, recalled. “I knew there was something special about her.”
By the time she reached third grade, Roberts’s talent was undeniable. At a school talent show, she amazed the audience with her ability to add riffs to her performance, a skill well beyond her years. Ed Norris, director of Glen Cove High School’s Select Chorale, worked with her later, and she earned accolades in choir and starred in school musicals including “In the Heights” and “Miss Saigon.”
“Shye has this rare ability to connect emotionally with her audience,” Norris said. “When she sang, it wasn’t just about hitting the notes — it was about telling a story. That’s what makes her extraordinary.”
Norris recalled a pivotal moment during Roberts’s blind audition for “The Voice.” “At the end of her song, the camera panned in on her face as she sang ‘It’s not easy to be me,’” he said. “It was such a gentle and emotional delivery, riddled with experience. In that moment, I thought, ‘Holy crap, look at this kid.’ She has a way of pulling people in.”
“The Voice” gave Roberts a unique opportunity to grow as an artist. “This show gave me experience and visibility I could only dream of,” she said. “It helped me refine my emotional expression and discover the best ways to tell a story through song.”
The journey, she said, meant more to her than the outcome. “I didn’t want first, anyway,” she said. “I feel like I’ve gained so much, not just from the competition, but from the friendships and connections I’ve made along the way.”
Roberts plans to focus in the future on creating her own music. “I want to take the next year to work on my art and figure out my next steps,” she said. While she once considered attending the Berklee College of Music, the cost proved prohibitive, and she is now exploring other academic opportunities, including environmental science.
“Whatever I decide, music will always be a part of me.”
Norris said he is immensely proud of Roberts’s accomplishments. “To see her up there, owning the stage and singing duets with Michael Bublé — it moved me to tears,” he said. “Shye has a voice that deserves to be heard, and I know this is just the beginning for her.”
