After a packed-out tent at Reading Festival, the rising singer-songwriter is embracing life as a full-time musician, with new single ‘Magnetic Love’ and a major support slot alongside Suki Waterhouse on the horizon.
For Ruby Roberts, 2026 has been a year of exciting firsts. From taking her music out on her first headline tour to making her Reading Festival debut, the rising singer-songwriter is quickly turning the bedroom songwriting sessions of years gone by into something much bigger.
Chatting to Erazer Magazine after her set on Saturday afternoon, Roberts was still buzzing from a performance that exceeded her expectations, with a packed tent welcoming her to one of the UK’s biggest festival stages.
“It was amazing,” she beamed. “I had no expectations of who was going to show up, and it was really packed in the tent and so nice to see everyone. Loved it!”
It was a milestone moment for an artist who admitted that seeing her name alongside some of music’s biggest acts when the Reading Festival line-up was first announced felt almost unbelievable: “It was quite surreal, with the other artists that are on the line-up, but I’ve just been so excited ever since I saw it. Yeah, it’s crazy!”
While the entire set proved memorable, it was the closing number, ‘Trampoline’, that provided the afternoon’s standout moment. With the crowd waving their arms and throwing themselves into the performance, it was a reminder of just how much Roberts’ music is beginning to resonate with listeners.
“Definitely the closing song ‘Trampoline’, everyone was waving their arms and having a great time,” she recalls.
Despite having attended Glastonbury several times and even worked at the festival, Reading marked Roberts’ first time performing at a festival herself. Having experienced the atmosphere from the other side of the stage, she is already dreaming of one day returning to Worthy Farm with a set of her own.
“I’ve been to Glastonbury, worked there a few times, love it, and it’s definitely a dream to play there.”
For now, though, Reading represents another important step in a journey that has seen Roberts move from writing songs in her bedroom to pursuing music full-time.
“I think that I always knew deep down, but I only really started pursuing it properly a few years ago,” she explains. “It was just keeping myself to myself, writing songs in my bedroom, and now it’s just so surreal and amazing to be doing it full-time.”
That sense of disbelief is understandable when looking at how quickly things are progressing. Following her headline tour in May, Roberts is continuing to build momentum with new releases, festival appearances and increasingly exciting opportunities on the live circuit. Her songwriting, meanwhile, often draws inspiration from characters and stories, allowing her to explore different perspectives rather than relying solely on personal experiences. Her single ‘Bad Girl July’ was a prime example.
“It was kinda inspired by, like, a bad girl character in movies, a misunderstood villain,” she says. “When we were writing it, the bassline just made me step into this character. I do that in a lot of my songwriting, where I write from the perspective of characters.”
The result is a track built around a misunderstood protagonist, with Roberts hoping listeners might recognise a little of themselves in the character, too: “I feel like it’s relatable to people as well.”
There is also another side to the song that fans may not have heard yet. Roberts reveals that she recorded an alternative version on the omnichord, giving the track a slower, more delicate feel that highlights its underlying beauty: “I recorded, like, an omnichord version as well, which is quite slowed down because the song itself is actually quite beautiful. Maybe in the future I might release that on streaming platforms.”
It is a glimpse into the creative experimentation taking place behind the scenes, with Roberts clearly keen to keep exploring new ways of presenting her music as her audience grows. That desire to evolve also extends to her live performances. Earlier this year, she embarked on her first headline tour, an experience she looks back on with obvious affection.
“It was so fun, like all of it, and I really miss it,” she says.
Asked to pick a favourite show, Roberts singles out King Tut’s in Glasgow, although she admits she cannot quite put her finger on exactly why it stood out: “I don’t know why, but it was just really special, and I just love playing for the Scots.”
With further touring opportunities hopefully on the way, she is keen to carry the lessons of that run into whatever comes next. While pre-show nerves can be difficult to shake, Roberts has learnt that the most important thing is to appreciate every second once she steps out in front of an audience.
“I think just to enjoy it in the moment. It’s really easy to get nervous before, but afterwards I’m always like, ‘I wish I could go back out there’, so I think just enjoying it in the moment and being present and making sure everyone has a really good time.” It is a philosophy that feels particularly fitting for an artist whose connection with her audience is becoming an increasingly important part of her story.
Songs such as ‘Trampoline’ may begin as personal expressions of creativity, but their meaning can quickly grow beyond the person who wrote them. Seeing fans connect with her music has been one of the most rewarding aspects of Roberts’ journey so far.
“It is crazy to think, actually, because I write songs that I love and mean a lot to me, so when you see what they mean to other people, it’s very surreal and just amazing and indescribable.”
That connection works both ways. Having spotted familiar faces in the crowd at Reading, Roberts was quick to emphasise just how much her supporters mean to her, particularly as she continues to reach new audiences.
“Everything, I love them,” she says. “It was so nice seeing familiar faces. I saw a few different fans that I’ve seen before at other shows, and you never know who you’re going to see in the audience, but when you see them it’s like, ‘Oh my God, it’s you!’ I appreciate them all coming.”
And with plenty more on the horizon, there is little chance of Roberts slowing down any time soon.
Since our conversation, she has released ‘Magnetic Love’, a Brighton-inspired love song drawing on her experiences of studying in the seaside city. The track marks another chapter in her growing catalogue, bringing a different perspective to her songwriting while retaining the personal touch that has helped her connect with listeners.
“It’s kinda like a Brighton-inspired love song, because I went to uni in Brighton, and yeah, I hope people like it!” she told Erazer ahead of its release.
There is further reason for excitement, too, with Roberts announced as part of the support line-up for Suki Waterhouse in Halifax next summer, alongside Nieve Ella. It is another significant opportunity to introduce her music to a wider audience and build on the momentum of a year that has already seen her take some considerable strides forward.
From the bedroom sessions where she first began writing to a packed tent at Reading Festival, Ruby Roberts is steadily finding her feet in an industry that can often feel overwhelming. Yet, as she looks towards the next stage of her career, her priorities remain refreshingly straightforward: enjoy the experience, write music that means something, and make sure the people listening have a good time.
