It’s been a wild few months for Jay Allen.
The country singer spent some time as a contestant on the NBC competition series, “The Voice.”
He got eliminated from the competition in early November – but that didn’t stop him.
Allen got married on Nov. 27 and has released the single, “No Present Like The Time,” which will be released to country radio in January.
“When I first moved to Nashville, I kept grinding,” he says. “The hard work is paying off.”
Allen is closing out the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association New Mexico Chapter Caregiver Conference in Albuquerque on Saturday, Dec. 10. The concert is open to registrants who can still register at alz.org/newmexico/helping_you/caregiver-conference.
Allen dedicates his time and voice for the fight against Alzheimer’s in honor of his mom, Sherry, who died in 2019. He travels across the country performing at events and sharing his story to raise awareness and spark conversations about the cause.
Allen says after seeing his mother suffer from Alzheimer’s, he wrote “Blank Stares.”
A video of him performing the song with his mother on stage in Iowa went viral with over 500 million views on Facebook.
Since her passing, Allen continues to tour the country as an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, and the song has gone on to raise over $100 million dollars to help fight the disease
“It’s my obligation for my mother,” he says of his outreach for Alzheimer’s. “If I have a spotlight, I don’t want it to be on me. I want to use that time to help other organizations and causes.”
Allen’s time on “The Voice” may have been shorter than the contestants now in the top five, but he’s grateful for the opportunity.
He says “The Voice” reached out to him to participate in the series a few years ago.
“I didn’t feel it was the right move for me those times,” he says. “I had taken my fight against Alzheimer’s and then the call came in from the show. I made it very clear that I wanted to share my story. I was able to sing the song written for my mother and it turned out to be a beautiful thing because John (Legend) asked me about the song and I got to tell the story.”
Allen was eliminated right before making the top 13, which allowed him to look for a record deal and continue to make music for himself.
“I signed a new deal and was able to put out the single,” he says. “I thank God for letting me follow my path. Everyone is different, we just have to keep working towards goals.”
Allen says being a songwriter allows him to always dig deep into his soul for the songs.
It’s something he’s grown accustomed to.
“I open up my heart and soul with the songs because I want the songs to be a safe space for listeners,” he says. “I get to see all of the healing that is made through me making music.”
Allen says when me moved to Nashville, Tennessee, almost 10 years ago, he did all the things people told him to do to get a break in music.
“Once I let go of the notion of trying to be known and utilize my gift, it’s been an incredible journey,” he says. “I find joy in helping others and connecting people through music. It’s rewarding. I’m not perfect by any means, but I try my best to make an impact.”
