Byrd earns recognition for area

Marybeth Byrd of Armorel put the Greater Blytheville area on the map this year, showing her incredible talent on NBC’s The Voice.

Byrd advanced to the semifinals of the show, making the Top 8, before bowing out.

The 18-year-old phenom showcased her talents, wowing the judges and America with each performance — even being one of the few to get a four-chair turn during the blind auditions.

Byrd made her hometown community proud and was an easy selection for this year’s NEA Town Courier Headliner of the Year.

After falling short of winning The Voice, Bryd said she was worried how people would react when she arrived back in Blytheville but was relieved when she felt the support and love her hometown showed her.

“I felt the love so deeply from my community. Being over in such a big city it was a little scary. I was a little nervous about coming back home just being worried about what everyone’s reaction was going to be,” Byrd said. “How busy would I be when I got back home, but as soon as I landed and got here immediately I felt so much love and support coming back to Blytheville. Getting this award from the NEA Town Courier, it means the world to me.”

The Voice experience helped Byrd find herself musically and she stated it was an amazing experience.

“Going into The Voice process, I knew who I was as a person but I didn’t know myself as a musician. So, going into it my ultimate goal was to just soak up all of the experience and to just find my self musically,” said Byrd. “So meeting Taylor Swift, John Legend, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, Usher - oh my goodness- just meeting so many successful musical icons is something I wouldn’t trade for the world, because they taught me so many new things to explore in my voice, my range, in genres.”

Byrd said The Voice helped her find what type of music genre she wanted to pursue but says that could change at any time.

Byrd added,“You know I think I am going to go the country, soul route, I’ve decided. So, but I don’t know that could change; y’all know how I am.”

During her time away from Blytheville filming The Voice in Los Angeles, Byrd said what made her day was seeing the posts on social media or messages she received.

“Before all of this I was in the community singing for St. Jude, just different organizations and singing all around the community and the state, but being over in LA and seeing so many heartwarming posts on Facebook really helped me get over my home sickness, because I was there for two and a half months,” Byrd said. “It was really hard, really, really hard. So when I did just start to feel homesick I’d look on social media and my messages and see so many sweet comments and posts and it’d make my day. So, this community means so much to me.”

What’s next for Byrd?

According to Byrd, she hopes to release a few singles and hopefully an album in the upcoming months.

“Right now, in about two months — I’m hoping two months, it could change — but I am going to release a single with a music video on all platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, all of that good stuff. Then after that I’m probably going to release another single, a few months after that, and then after that an album,” Byrd said. “Then after that just whatever God has in store; if someone wants to work with me, then I might move on to Nashville.”

Marybeth has also kept her faith in God and praised Him for allowing her the opportunity to perform on stage.

“I’ve always had a really, really close relationship with God because He is the reason why all of these blessings have come my way and that is all because of Him. I just believe in giving Him all the praise, honor and glory for it, because I couldn’t have done it by myself or without my community or Him,” Byrd mentioned. “So, He just really brought me peace while I was over there and helped me hit the stage with 100 percent on top of not having any nerves, which was really vital to performing on such a big stage like that. You have to compose yourself and focus and He helped me do that.”

Byrd added that she also wants people to know that she is still Marybeth Byrd from Armorel and not a new person with fame.

“One thing that I do want my community, my family, and my hometown family to know is that just because all of this has happened I am still the same Marybeth as I was before I left. Maybe a little more grown up because being in the music industry, it’s a little bit cutthroat. So it has brought me thick skin now,” Byrd explained. “But you know getting all glammed up and stuff, there is The Voice glam and The Voice hair team and oh my gosh they are the sweetest people. The reason I loved The Voice so much is that they really cared about your opinion. They wanted to know what you thought. How do you feel comfortable? If you don’t feel comfortable in that then you don’t have to wear it, that type of thing. So, that really helped as far as performing.”