Jasmine Osby Teenager Ruby Leigh will turn 18 in May, but has already gained national fame as a musician after becoming the runner-up on Season 24 of “The Voice.” The Missouri native says now she’s diversifying her sound as she prepares for her opening set for singer Clint Black on April 12. “I want to be known as an artist, not just a country singer,” Leigh says. While leaning into her country music roots, Leigh also wants to show audiences that she has more to offer. Her setlist includes a “little bit of everything,” with hints of rock ’n’ roll and other genres sprinkled throughout her performance to help widen her fan base. Even with the new additions, Leigh refuses to abandon country tunes and intends to jump into a few crowd pleasers that include her viral yodeling skills, fan favorite covers and a few new songs she’s never performed live. “I’ve got a lot of stories to tell,” she says. The upcoming show — which will also feature fellow support act country singer Emma Ann Roberts — is Leigh’s second chance to open for Black. She performed with the “Killin’ Time” singer back when she was 11 in 2018. When the Family Arena invited her to open for the award-winning country singer this time, Leigh says it felt like a “full circle moment.” “There’s a lot of amazing musicians and talent in the St. Louis area that they could have called,” she says. “But I just feel really honored that they would call me.” Excited to see her Missouri fans “show up and show out,” Leigh has been in hustle mode since her time on the hit NBC competition show in 2023. On April 1, she released “Please Come to Boston,” a cover of Dave Loggins Grammy-nominated 1974 song. Although she can’t share all the details, Leigh is featured on an upcoming compilation album with a ton of mainstream artists produced by a Grammy Award-winning producer. She’s used the past year to find new ways to grow as an artist, and the Ruby Leigh train continues chugging uphill. “You have to stay fresh in music,” she says. “You can’t just tap dance through this industry.” While Leigh noticed some contestants took a break after “The Voice,” the 17-year-old was intentional about using her exposure from the show to further aid in her rise to stardom. Following her performance with Black, Leigh will perform at the Meramec Music Theatre in Steelville, Missouri, in May, not long after her birthday. The young singer stole America’s heart when her blind audition in October 2023 received four chair turns from the judges, signaling they wanted Leigh to join their team for the season. She landed on Reba McEntire’s team where her self-taught vocal range, dynamic yodeling abilities and authentic country music flair blew the audience away every week. Although Leigh lost the competition to rocker Michael Huntley, the singer broke records on the show. Her audition remains the highest viewed blind audition, with 5.3 million YouTube views, and she made it further in the competition than any Missouri native in the history of the show. Leigh says she put her trust in God during the show, so she didn’t feel much pressure. Although she hasn’t spoken with McEntire since the show ended, Leigh strives to be known as more than just “that girl who was on a TV show once.” “I’m super thankful for my time on ‘The Voice,’ and being able to move on from that and do bigger things and play in front of people from around the world,” she says. Those bigger things came to Leigh shortly after the show ended. She was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry twice since her viral stint and even performed with her favorite band, Green Day, in August 2024. While some of her fans were surprised to see her on stage with a punk rock band, Leigh says diversifying her creative portfolio shouldn’t catch folks off guard, and she plans to keep placing herself in rooms where country music and other genres thrive. “We’re all doing the same thing,” she says. “We may sing a little differently or say different words and whatnot, but...we’re all out to make music and make people happy with the music that we make.” For Leigh, branching into other genres like rock ’n’ roll makes her music more inclusive and digestible for non-country fans. With the support of her family, including dad, Casey Pearson; mom, Terri; and sibling, Sandra. Leigh has continued touring and recording songs. She’s been working with the Nashville Music Group to create new records. However, she’s still an independent artist and, with the rising cost of recording and limited funds, Leigh is focusing on singles with hopes of releasing an album later this year. “I want to put out the best that I can, and I don’t want to settle for any less,” she says. Originally from Foley, Missouri, a small town with only 101 residents, Leigh says she’s always aimed for greatness since realizing she wanted to be a singer at 9 years old. It all started when she fell in love with the Guy Clark song “Dublin Blues.” She memorized all the words and surprised her parents with her big voice. Years later, Leigh has performed in over 1,000 live shows. She hopes pursuing her dream shows others in Foley that they can achieve their dreams, too. “Being in such a small town, you see so many people that give up on their dreams way too early because they think where they’re at, they will never have that opportunity to do that, or do anything on a professional level,” she says. Leigh says she appreciates her humble beginnings in Foley and the entire state of Missouri, both of which have continued supporting her after “The Voice.” As she slides headfirst into adulthood, Leigh says she looks forward to buying her mom a lottery ticket and remaining consistent in becoming a star in her own right. “My dream has already come true,” she says. “I know I’ve got a long way to go, and nowhere near where I want to be, but I just have to stay thankful in the moment.”