Jay Allen's earnest country-pop first came to widespread attention in 2018 with a viral live video of his song "Blank Stares," about his mother having Alzheimer's; it ascended the country streaming and digital songs charts four years later, when Allen used it to audition for the 22nd season of NBC's The Voice.
A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Allen started his career in Christian music as a worship leader in Savannah, Georgia before moving to Nashville in 2013. Committing to country music stylings, he signed a publishing deal and later released the debut EP The First Five in 2...