By Michael “Doc” Studard
At just eighteen, Tristan Roberson is already living the kind of whirlwind most artists don’t experience until the back half of their careers. With 11.7+ million streams across all platforms, more than 331,000 social media followers, and a rapidly growing presence on Texas radio, he’s become one of the most talked-about young names in modern country music.
But when you meet him, the first thing you notice isn’t the stats — it’s the energy.
A spark.
A grin.
A kid who genuinely just wants to make somebody’s day better.
“I’m just a ball of energy,” he laughs. “I’m here to entertain. I’m here for the people.”
And the people are showing up.
A Career That Launched Like a Rocket
Tristan’s early story sounds almost mythical now. At nine years old, he learned those classic beginner riffs on guitar — “Smoke on the Water,” “Wonderwall” — before putting the instrument down and moving into voice and piano training. At fifteen, he picked the guitar back up, and everything changed.
A friend encouraged him to post videos on TikTok.
He struck a deal with his parents:
“Let me have social media, and I’ll post every day.”
They agreed.
He posted.
And those posts turned into a movement.
Soon, Tristan wasn’t just going viral — he was becoming one of the youngest breakout artists in Texas. But still a teen he says about his off time “I love to play poker. I am a poker player. I play video games. All kinds of stuff.”
A refreshing change was when I asked him what was on his playlist right now he responded “Oh man the classic stuff, Keith Whitley, Ronnie Milsap, Merle Haggard, George Jones….”
A Year of Firsts: Chart Success, Awards & Industry Buzz
2025 wasn’t just a good year for Tristan. It was historic.
💿 Debut Album: One Night in Dallas
Released May 9, 2025, the record delivered massive global chart success:
- #1 — Spain
- #2 — Italy
- #4 — Costa Rica
📻 Two Consecutive #1 Texas Country Radio Singles
- “Somewhere in Texas” — #1 on May 8, 2025
- “One Night in Dallas” — #1 on September 4, 2025
🎧 Major Spotify Playlist Support
- All New Country Music
- Fresh Finds Country
- Next from Nashville
- Texas Country Now
These placements are the kind of support most artists twice his age are still chasing.
🏆 Texas Songwriter Recognition
- 2024 Texas State Songwriter Championships – 1st Runner-Up
- Top Radio Pick of the Year
🌎 International Chart Impact
Tristan’s music hit Top 6 iTunes Country Charts around the world:
- “Hearts Don’t” — #3 Spain, #4 Mexico
- “Rough Spot” — #6 Spain
- “Somewhere in Texas” — #2 Mexico
- “The Reaper Keeps Creepin’” — #2 Brazil
These aren’t small markets — these are major global wins for a young independent artist.
Back-to-Back Award Wins
🏛️ November 2, 2025 — The Josie Music Awards (Grand Ole Opry)
The largest independent music awards show on Earth recognized Tristan with four nominations:
- Artist of the Year
- Vocalist of the Year
- Song of the Year
- Fans Choice
He walked away with:
🏆 Artist of the Year (Under 18)
Winning at the Grand Ole Opry at eighteen? Unreal. “That was great. I mean no words can really describe how that moment felt.”
⭐ November 9, 2025 — Texas Country Music Awards
Two nominations. Two wins:
- Emerging Artist of the Year
- 3rd Runner-Up — Songwriter of the Year (“Somewhere in Texas”)
In nine days, Tristan accomplished what most artists hope to pull off in a decade. Even with the back to back #1 singles in Texas, Tristan said it still came as a shock to hear his name. “I really didn’t think it was gonna be a given, so I was still surprised and honored just be nominated even!”
A Performer With Real Draw — and Real Heart
This year alone, Tristan has:
- Sold out three venues on his One Night in Dallas Tour
- Headlined Frisco Freedom Fest for 25,000 people
- Opened for Texas icons Josh Ward, William Beckmann & Aaron Watson
- Delivered a featured performance for the Governor of Texas
- Appeared on Good Morning Texas (2025) and Texas Today (2024)
- Named Country Now “Country Next Artist to Watch — June 2025”
He also secured a high-profile endorsement with Twinstone Hats, designing his own signature cowboy hat: “The Dallas.”
When asked about school life still Tristan said “The kids at my school really don’t see it as a big deal haha. I mean I have been with most of them since 5th grade, so there like “oh thats just Tristian” and it’s no big deal.”
Behind the scenes, his mother — who also serves as his manager — remains his anchor and biggest supporter. “I know she always has my back and my best interests at heart.”
What’s Coming Next
🎅 New Christmas Single
His original holiday track “Santa Drove My Bronco” drops November 14 across all digital platforms and Texas Radio.
Even more impressive: the single is launching alongside a children’s book Tristan wrote — available in both hardback and digital formats this December.
💿 Sophomore Album — Spring 2026
Tristan has already begun work on his next album, a project poised to elevate his sound even further and solidify his position among the next wave of country stars.
His dreams are big — stadium tours, chart-topping records, a career modeled after Parker McCollum — but at his current pace, none of it feels out of reach. Make sure to tune into Kickin Kountry 101 to hear Tristan and check out the Doc and Friends Podcast to hear the replay of his interview!
📲 Follow Tristan Roberson
Stay connected with one of country music’s fastest-rising young artists:
Facebook:
<a href=”https://www.facebook.com/tristanrobersonmusic” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://www.facebook.com/tristanrobersonmusic</a>
YouTube:
<a href=”https://youtube.com/@tristanroberson” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://youtube.com/@tristanroberson</a>
Instagram:
<a href=”https://www.instagram.com/tristanrobersonmusic” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://www.instagram.com/tristanrobersonmusic</a>
TikTok:
<a href=”https://tiktok.com/@tristanrobersonmusic” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://tiktok.com/@tristanrobersonmusic</a>
Spotify:
<a href=”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DciIsSZJFKwH06cc9l9RR?si=tWdeXsoMS0GFAKET8hXc4Q” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://open.spotify.com/artist/3DciIsSZJFKwH06cc9l9RR</a>
Mornings With Doc 
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