Years before becoming a finalist on season 24 of The Voice, Mara Justine competed on American Idol when she was 16. Before that, the New Jersey native also competed on America’s Got Talent singing the Jennifer Holliday classic “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” when she was only 12.
While competing on both shows, Justine made it far, reaching the Top 14 on Idol and the Top 12 on AGT.
Just a few years after her turn on Idol, Justine wowed the coaches on The Voice with her stirring rendition of the 1973 Elton John classic “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” during the Blind Auditions.
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The Top 5
Earning a four-chair turn, as all the Voice coaches fought to get Justine on their teams, Legend asked her to sing his 2013 hit “All of Me” with him. She obliged before choosing Niall Horan as her coach.
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With each round that followed Justine continued delivering knockout performances that pushed her into the Top 5. Before coming in third place and losing to season 24 winner Huntley and runner-up Ruby Leigh, throughout the season, Justine swooped through powerful performances of Teddy Lewis’ “Lose Control” and Chris Stapleton‘s “Parachute” during the Lives, Harry Nilsson‘s cover of the Badfinger classic “Without You” during the Knockouts, and more.
Justine also took on Janis Joplin‘s “Piece of My Heart, Adele‘s “Turning Tables,” and performed the Eagles‘ “Wasted Time” with Horan during the finale.
After ‘The Voice’
In 2015, Justine released her self-titled EP in 2015 and has racked up millions of views with other covers on YouTube and TikTok, including her rendition of Bishop Briggs’ 2016 “River” and “You Know My Name” by gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard.
Months after her run on The Voice, Justine returned to New Jersey and started performing at sports and charity events and gigs at local bars and restaurants on the Jersey Shore.
“This has been the most amazing blessing in my life,” said Justine after the finale of The Voice. “I’m feeling great and just so excited for the future. It’s really coming together.”
Justin added, “I’m very proud of myself and how hard I’ve worked. I’ve always pushed myself to get better. I feel like that’s what I’ve done this whole season—just shown that I’ve grown. Growing is one of the most beautiful things a human can do.
Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC
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