Blake Shelton and Emily Ann Roberts’ 2015 ‘Islands in the Stream’ Duet Still Feels Like a Perfect Country Match

Long before Emily Ann Roberts joined Blake Shelton on tour, the pair shared a memorable moment on The Voice with a performance of one of country music’s most beloved duets.

During the show’s ninth season in 2015, Shelton and Roberts performed “Islands in the Stream,” the 1983 hit famously recorded by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. The song was originally written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, and the pairing gave Shelton and Roberts plenty of room to showcase their country chemistry.

A natural chemistry on ‘The Voice’

Shelton opened the performance, taking on Kenny Rogers’ part before Roberts joined in with Parton’s section. Rather than dramatically reinventing the song, the two stayed close to the spirit of the original while trading lines throughout the verses.

Their voices came together during the bridge and chorus, creating the strongest moments of the performance. The duet had an easy, natural quality, with Shelton and Roberts appearing comfortable as they passed the lyrics back and forth.

At the end of the performance, the two embraced, marking a memorable moment in Roberts’ run on the show.

Roberts had already made a strong impression during Season 9, performing songs including Lee Ann Womack and Sons of the Desert’s “I Hope You Dance,” Patsy Cline’s “She’s Got You,” Patty Loveless’ “Blame It on Your Heart” and The Judds’ “Why Not Me.”

She ultimately finished as the season’s runner-up, with Jordan Smith taking the title.

From ‘The Voice’ to Shelton’s tour

Roberts’ connection with Shelton continued well beyond her time on the competition.

She returned to The Voice in 2019 to perform her single “Someday Dream” and later released her debut album, Can’t Hide Country, in October 2023.

In February 2024, Roberts reunited professionally with her former coach when she joined Shelton’s Back to the Honky Tonk Tour.

Shelton reflected on their history in a statement, joking about how young they both were when they first worked together on The Voice.

“She has such a pure country voice,” Shelton said, adding that he was “so damn proud” to have her on the tour and describing her as “a perfect fit.”

For Roberts, the opportunity represented a full-circle moment.

“It feels like such a full circle moment to be able to open for Blake Shelton,” she said, describing him as a longtime supporter and expressing her gratitude for the opportunity.

The story behind ‘Islands in the Stream’

“Islands in the Stream” first appeared on Rogers’ 1983 album Eyes That See in the Dark. The Bee Gees’ Gibb brothers wrote the song, which was inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s posthumous 1970 novel of the same name.

The song was initially written with Marvin Gaye in mind before eventually becoming a defining collaboration between Rogers and Parton.

Its success went far beyond the country charts. “Islands in the Stream” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped both the Country and Adult Contemporary charts.

The recording earned Rogers and Parton an American Music Award for Favorite Country Single as well as an Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year.

More than a decade after Shelton and Roberts first shared the song on The Voice, their later work together offered an especially fitting continuation of a musical partnership that began with one of country music’s most recognizable duets.