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Jay Allen, a country artist best known for his appearance on The Voice in 2022, recently shared a disturbing experience in which he was robbed at gunpoint in Nashville. The singer explained how that terrifying incident affected his outlook on personal safety and self-defense.
In an Instagram post on November 4, Allen revealed the details of the robbery that took place in a grocery store in East Nashville. He opened up on being at gunpoint and said:
"I felt helpless"
Though physically unharmed, the incident left him shaken and led to a significant change in his approach to personal security.
What happened to The Voice star Jay Allen?
The robbery and its aftermath
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According to Jay Allen's Instagram post dated November 4, the incident occurred a few days ago in East Nashville when he was held up by some armed man in a grocery store. Despite his muscular build and extensive tattoos, Allen explained that this appearance didn’t provide him any protection in the situation. He wrote:
“Even with having a muscular stature and being covered in tattoos, it didn’t matter… he had a gun, and I didn’t.”
The emotional impact of the experience was profound. The Voice artist stated that he felt helpless, taken advantage of, and frustrated with himself. He admitted in the post:
“I felt helpless, taken advantage of, and mad at myself more than anything,”
In his Instagram post, Allen emphasized how the robbery left him with a sense of vulnerability that he wanted to address by taking control of his safety.
A shift in perspective on gun ownership
Before the robbery, Allen was always afraid of carrying firearms. However, the incident changed his approach to owning guns. In his post, he shared that he's now a "proud new gun owner" since the incident. Allen stated that he bought a gun solely for self-defense. According to him, he would never experience that feeling of vulnerability after what had happened to him. Allen shared:
“I’ve always been on the fence about guns, but today I’m a proud new gun owner. It’s strictly for self-defense, and I will NEVER feel that way again.”
In addition to purchasing the firearm, Allen also took steps to ensure that he's prepared for such situations in the future. He thanked his best friend, Trevor Greer, who is also a veteran, for taking the time to train him in proper firearm use, including participating in target practice. He included photos of his new weapon and a video of himself at a shooting range as part of the Instagram update.
Sobriety milestone and career updates
This was just a few days after Jay Allen reached his benchmark of sobriety-five months in recovery. Allen had let his fans know about his progress on sobriety since summer 2024.
A few months back on July 23, Allen wrote, in an announcement of reaching his two-month milestone of being alcohol and Adderall free:
“I woke up this morning and looked at my calendar to see this… 60 days free from alcohol and abusing adderall. It seems so small, but to me, it’s my biggest accomplishment yet. #sober”
He had earlier noted that his decision to eliminate these substances was part of his ongoing effort to maintain better control of his life, especially after the grief surrounding his mother’s death.
On the work front, Jay Allen launched a 10-song project called Des Moines on June 28, 2024. It was dedicated to his home state and his late mother. He also teased new music in the works, with hints of songs inspired by his experiences and personal growth.
Fans can expect more from him soon as he is lined up for several live shows in different states, with concerts booked through October 2025.
Jay Allen's The Voice Journey
Jay Allen is one of the country artists known for his appearance on the show The Voice in 2022. He came from Cedar Falls, Iowa, and started in Christian music. Years of doing this eventually turned him into a country artist. As seen on The Voice, his breakthrough song was Blank Stares, which was based on the idea of his mother having Alzheimer's disease.
According to Alzheimer's Association website, Allen has been making efforts to raise awareness for this disease through numerous philanthropic achievements. For his work in Alzheimer’s advocacy, he has received awards and recognition, including a performance at the U.S. Capitol and an invitation to the White House by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
Over the years, Allen has raised over $160 million for Alzheimer’s research and caregiving support, as stated on his YouTube bio.
Allen's appearance on The Voice marked a pivotal moment in his career, where he impressed both Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani with his performance on Til You Can’t. Though he was eliminated early, Allen’s journey on The Voice helped boost his music career.
Catch new episodes of The Voice season 26 every Monday and Tuesday at 8 PM ET on NBC. Viewers can stream the previous episodes on Peacock the day after they air.
