In the year after being a finalist on “The Voice,” country rock singer Jacquie Roar spent much of 2024 trying to build her brand, hone her craft and book and play shows.

To her frustration, it didn’t go as well as she anticipated. Enter 2025, and it’s the year of making music and releasing it out to the world. So far, so good, as the Portland-area native, who lives in North Plains, received a lot of radio air time — about 70 stations — for one song (“That’s The Spirit”), put out another (“Boots in the Sand”) with a cool video made near Tillamook and a third one will be released for radio June 28.

It’s all about trying to master the digital streaming algorithms associated with Spotify, Apple and iTunes, and trying to increase her visibility and appeal.

There’ll also be plenty of gigs in 2025, and songwriting. Roar spent a recent week in Nashville participating in a songwriter’s group, and has been invited back, a sign of acceptance in the country music community.

“Things are going great, we’re gigging and we’ve really gotten tight as a band,” she said. “I’ve written the whole album out, and we’re releasing one by one until they’re all out.” Whether all the songs will be put into album form remains to be seen, but look for a steady flow of Jacquie Roar original music in the coming months. “I’d love to realize it all at once,” Roar said, about releasing an album, “but it’s not the market for that.”

She decided last year to focus on original music moving forward.

“I didn’t want to be a cover band, I wanted to be original if we’re going to make it and do something serious,” said Roar, who competed on “American Idol” in the past but gained fame from singing the likes of “Here For The Party” (Gretchen Wilson), “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” (Lainey Wilson), “Alone” (Heart), “More Than A Feeling” (Boston) and “Nights In White Satin” (Mood Blues) on “The Voice.”

She reveled in being on “The Voice,” and eventually finished fourth. Roar has maintained contact with country superstar Reba McEntire, her coach on “The Voice,” while pursuing her music career. But she also realizes it’s about laying the groundwork to make it big — or bigger than where Roar finds herself now.

With financial backing, Roar and producer Jason Mater, writers Steve Fee, Jordan Gray (“Amen,” Shaboozey, Jelly Roll) and Jesse Slack, as well as guitarist Christian Pond, spent time on a retreat at Joshua Tree, California writing songs. “We were done in four days,” Roar said. Much of the music has been recorded, using Nashville session players.

She added: “We did it the Nashville way. It’s been such a cool experience making this album. We really did it the right way.”

Is it a turning point in her career? “I would say so,” said Roar, alluding to radio play of “That’s The Spirit,” including on 98.7 FM The Bull in Portland.

“It’s cool realizing that I do have support and the music is building, I’m doing it the slow way, it’s not like I’m going viral and will be at the CMAs (Country Music Awards) next month. The slow roll is the way for me. Big things are finally developing. There are a couple labels watching my album; Reba has kept an eye on me.”

As far as shows, Roar will play July 3 at Oregon Zoo Nights and July 12 opening for Cody Johnson at Whiskey Fest in Pendleton, and there’ll be a lot of out-of-state shows such as in Alaska, Connecticut and Wisconsin.

Coming off “The Voice,” season 24 (2023), it wasn’t the springboard to success that Roar imagined. She has parted ways with her manager, and tried to be her own booking agent. She had some music releases in 2024 — “Bad Habit,” “Learn About Love,” “High Heel High,” as she tried to make a name for herself.

“I knew that being on ‘The Voice’ would get me exposure, I just didn’t realize that when I got off the show, it wasn’t going to mean too much to the real world and in Nashville,” she said. “They want you to earn your stripes.”

She played shows last year, but surprisingly Roar found many shows tough to book. She performed in Nashville at CMA Fest at the Opry Plaza as part of Whiskey Jam and for Lainey Wilson’s induction into the Grand Ole Opry. On one interesting day, she performed at the Oregon State Fair along with “The Voice” winner Huntley, and then went to perform at Oregon State Penitentiary in a non-publicized event that featured the star Jelly Roll (“Son of a Sinner”).

This year, Roar expects a return trip to Nashville to participate in another songwriters’ group, The Writer’s Round at Chief’s. Just being invited was a big deal.

“For one moment I felt accepted in Nashville after putting in all the work. I felt so good.”

Roar, who has a background in Gresham and Clackamas County, relishes her time spent with fiancé Jesse Jones, daughter Leilani and stepdaughter Georgia in their North Plains home.

There she is mom.

When it’s time to work, she’s “Jackie (Expletive) Roar.”