Many of the new artists I interview are current Belmont University students or alumni. However, very few can say that they were on John Legend’s team on Season 29 of NBC’s The Voice. Nineteen-year-old Belmont student Grace Humphries is an emotive singer who knocked John Legend’s socks off by singing Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” After hearing her beautiful rendition, I wanted to learn more about this young performer.
Originally from Southern California, Grace Humphries moved to Texas at age eight. While she didn’t come from a musical family per se, she and her 19-month-older brother Liam used to sing and dance around the house. They even have a video of them pretending to be on a singing competition show. However, right before her brother turned 10, he died of brain cancer, and she and her family would never be the same.
After he passed, Humphries turned wholeheartedly to the arts. She started doing plays and musicals to help find solace. At 13, Humphries started writing songs.
She shared, “It’s always been a way for me to process that loss. But songwriting can only go so far. It’s my faith in Christ that has helped to heal me.”
In 2025, Humphries released the singles “Why’d You Give Up,” “For Years,” and “Wanted You to Know,” proving she’s a singer-songwriter who deserves recognition.
Initially, Humphries’ style was like a modern country-folk singer. But as she is still quite young, she is still in the process of figuring it out. As she continues her studies at Belmont, she is leaning more into a traditional country sound.
“I’m pretty confident that that’s where I want to land and stay as an artist,” she confirmed.
Humphries’ latest single, “Texas Has Her Heart,” shows her moving toward that end. The song is completely autobiographical, telling her story up to this point.
As she describes her journey to Music City, the chorus asks, What if it’s the last time she sees the sunrise on these roads? She’ll forever wonder why she wasted time when it was still home/ But you don’t know what you have until it’s time to part/ Oh, she’s never been in love/ But Texas has her heart.
While her earlier work channeled her inner Joni Mitchell, “Texas Has Her Heart” leans more toward the voices of country greats like Martina McBride or LeAnn Womack.
She said of her time on The Voice, “It was hard at times, emotionally and spiritually, but I definitely don’t regret any of it because it allowed me to really hone in on who I wanted to be as an artist. It gave me a confidence that I would never have gotten from anything else.”
Now, as an accomplished songwriter, Humphries crafts compelling songs with a maturity beyond her years. Known for her powerful vocals and heartfelt storytelling, she has performed extensively across Texas and recorded at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios.
Since moving to Nashville, Humphries has completed multiple radio and media promotion tours, appearing on WSM 650 and Today in Nashville, and performing on air in Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, and Northern California. As she continues to reach new audiences, Grace Humphries is establishing herself as a promising emerging artist in country music.
Follow Grace Humphries on her website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. Follow her blog, Instagram, and X.
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