Emily Ann Roberts
SJ McDonald
Hobart Art Theater
Hobart, IN
Sunday October 5th, 2025 at 7:00pm
Fans travelled from near and far to see Emily Ann Roberts headline her first show in Indiana. Before the lights flickered, signaling the start of the performance, guests grabbed their drinks and merchandise awaiting the night ahead. As the lights dimmed, it was time for the opener of the evening, SJ McDonald to take the stage and introduce herself to waiting fans.
SJ McDonald is an emerging singer-songwriter who grew up in Virginia near the Appalachian Mountains. She is known for her authentic, gritty country sound that has a blend of modern storytelling with 90’s country. McDonald has been recognized as CMT’s Next Up Now Artist and has been touring the country independently, showcasing her grit, charisma, and raw talent. Her fully acoustic set kicked off with her newest release “Honkey Tonk Pie” and moved into an unreleased song “You Say Vegas.” She also played covers of Mily Cyrus’s “The Climb” as well as Trisha Yearwood’s “She’s in Love with the Boy.” McDonald ended her set with “Rosemary,” “Beans,” and “Wild Women.” While the crowd may have not known who McDonald was at the start of her performance, they certainly became fans by the end. She had the crowd engaged and cheering for her throughout her entire set. She is not only a talented artist, but an amazing entertainer.
As the band took the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers, anticipating the arrival of Emily Ann Roberts. She got her start on NBC’s The Voice where she came in second place. After The Voice, she went back to finish school before pursuing music. She later married her high school sweetheart, Chris Sasser, in 2020. Roberts released her first EP Someday Dream in 2019, followed by her first album Can’t Hide Country in 2023. She has opened for countless artists in 2025 including Megan Moroney, Clink Black and Cody Johnson. In September of this year, Roberts announced the release of her new EP Memory Lane coming October 3rd after signing her first record deal with Sony Music Nashville.
Roberts hit the stage and kicked off her set with “Whole Lotta Little” followed by “Chickens.” She also sang a melody of country hits sung by female artists, including “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” by Loretta Lynn, “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That” by Dolly Parton, “Fancy” by Reba McEntire, “This One’s For The Girls” by Martina McBride, “Goodbye Earl” by the Chicks, and “Any Man Of Mine” by Shania Twain. The crowd was singing along with smiles on their face. “Easy Does It,” “The Fence,” “Memory Lane,” and “Pretty in Pink” were a few of the other songs off her new EP that Roberts sang throughout the night. She later performed covers of some of her favorite songs, “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford and “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton. The band then left the stage, leaving just Roberts and her guitar. She sang her song “Keep on Going” acoustic after delivering a speech about chasing your dreams no matter how hard and long the journey. She then performed an acoustic version of “There’s a Record Book” by Rhonda Vincent. Roberts closed out her set with performances of “He Set Her Off,” “Jack and Jill Daniels,” and “On Down the Road,” which is a new song she wrote to close out her shows. Instead of performing encores, Roberts decided to write her own song to end her shows.
After the performance, both Roberts and McDonald stayed at the venue to meet the many fans that waited. Both artists took their time talking with every one of the fans as well as posing for pictures. Fans left the theatre riding the high from Roberts show, ready to take on the week ahead.
For additional information on these artists and events coming to the Hobart Art Theatre, please visit:
Emily Ann Roberts- https://www.emilyannroberts.com
SJ McDonald- https://sjmcdonald.com
Hobart Art Theater- https://brickartlive.com
Photographs and writing by Jaclyn Duske