‘The Voice’ Finalist Struggling to Book Gigs Outside of Home State, Says She Can’t Get Responses

As one of the Top 5 on season 24 of The Voice, Jacquie Roar thought she would get more gigs due to the high-profile exposure of the show. On average, 6 million people tuned in to The Voice during almost every episode of season 24. This should mean recognition for Roar, or at least a few gigs outside of her home state.

“I was thinking more people in the industry would come to me, email me, contact me,” Roar recently told the Portland Tribune. “I can’t get anybody outside of Oregon to book a gig. I’ve contacted hundreds of people and I’ve got like five emails back.”

Notably, she revealed, “Texas has not responded to me, not one place.”

However, her home state of Oregon has embraced her. Jacquie Roar hails from North Plains, Oregon, and venues around the state, and especially in Portland, have frequently booked her. Still, she said, “I almost think I expected more, because of how much exposure [The Voice] gives you.”

The Voice Contestant Jacquie Roar On the Difficulty of Booking Gigs After the Show

Things are not all doom and gloom for Jacquie Roar, though. Recently, she was booked for CMA Fest in Nashville. She also played a set at Whiskey Jam and then at Opry Plaza for Lainey Wilson’s Grand Ole Opry induction. She then jetted off to South Carolina to play two shows.

Of her performances in Nashville, Roar said, “This is a huge deal. There are thousands of applicants that submit for CMA Fest every year. They happened to pick me out, I’m blessed.”

From the South, she headed back to the Pacific Northwest, where she played in Washington State. She has her first gig planned for the Crystal Ballroom in Portland for June 15, and will play the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts on June 22. She’s also booked for a few fairs, such as the Washington County Fair on July 19, the Oregon Jamboree on August 4, and the Oregon State Fair on September 2. There, she’ll reunite with The Voice winner Huntley.

“Oregon has my back,” she said.

There’s nothing like a supportive hometown to lift up an emerging singer, and that’s just what Portland and surrounding areas are for Jacquie Roar. She has released a few singles, with another, “High Heel High,” coming in July. The more she hones her country-rock vocals and aesthetic, hopefully, the more gigs will come.

According to Roar, though, North Plains was and still is incredibly supportive. “They still have the banners up, ‘Congratulations, Jacquie Roar,’” she said.