Saturday, October 28, 7-10pm, Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.

Folk music. Country. Soul. Pop. R & B. Americana. They’re distinct music genres, but sometimes, creative musicians dabble in all of them and even mix them together. And emerging artist Roberta Lea is doing just that and winning rave reviews for it.

Roberta will be the featured performer at the next monthly coffeehouse concert, sponsored by the Columbus Folk Music Society, October 28, at the Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave.

From Norfolk, Virginia, Roberta is in the vanguard of a modern-day push by more Black musicians into the world of country music. She was named one of “12 artists to watch in 2022” by Nashville Scene’s Country Almanac. This year, she’s been inducted into Country Music Television’s “Next Women of Country, Class of 2023.”

She’s known for writing thought-provoking lyrics of personal liberation, including one song she calls a “girl power anthem” and another where she declares: “If I’m too much of a woman, you’re too little of a man.” Another of her original songs focuses on growing up on “ghetto country streets.” From love to food, Roberta sings songs that resonate universally.

Roberta will hit the stage just after 8pm, but Columbus Folk Music Society encourages people to come earlier for other fun activities: a 6pm folk music jam, a 7pm “open mic” segment featuring three other acts, and a 7:45pm audience sing-along of classic folk songs.

$15 donations are suggested per person at the door, $10 for members of Columbus Folk Music Society.

The Columbus Folk Music Society concert series is produced with financial support from the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

Hosted by Columbus Folk Music Society.