At just 26, Reyna Roberts is blazing a trail through country music with a sound she proudly calls “Outlaw Country” — or sometimes, with a grin, “Country Plus.” Equal parts bold, soulful, and genre-bending, Roberts is already making waves on stages from Nashville to Los Angeles, with co-signs from some of the biggest names in music and a career that’s only just heating up.

Born in Alaska and raised between Alabama and California, Roberts says her roots are as varied as her sound. “I was born in Alaska, but I’ve lived in Alabama and California,” she explains. “It’s kind of everywhere — I can’t say just one place.” That patchwork upbringing helped shape her perspective, pulling from the soul of Southern storytelling and the edge of West Coast confidence.

Today, she’s based in Nashville, where she’s quickly becoming one of the most talked-about rising stars. Fans first noticed her fiery performances and signature red hair (dyed pink for CMA Fest this year), but it’s her voice, her songwriting, and her authenticity that truly stand out. “I want people to feel like they’re getting the real me in my music,” Roberts says. “Country has always been about telling real stories — and now, those stories can come from a wider range of voices and sounds.”

Her breakout moment came earlier this year with her feature on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, where she sang both “Blackbiird” and “Tyrant.” That collaboration led to a live performance with Beyoncé, an experience Roberts calls “unbelievable.” She reflects, “To be on a project that is changing how people see country music — that’s something I’ll never forget.”

Still, Roberts has her boots firmly planted in Nashville. At CMA Fest, she performed with Bud Light and Billboard, debuting her swagger-filled single Mustangs Over Bentleys. “That song is all about having a little fun, showing off some confidence,” she says with a laugh. “It’s got that outlaw attitude, but with a little shine.”