South Jersey singer Mara Justine comes in third on ‘The Voice’
The 21-year-old, who was on Niall Horan's team, sang Adele’s “Turning Tables” and Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.”
In the second half of The Voice finale on Tuesday night, five finalists, including South Jersey singer Mara Justine, anxiously awaited audience poll results. Justine came in third in the NBC music competition, behind 16-year-old yodeler Ruby Leigh from Missouri in second place, and Huntley, a blues-country singer from Virginia, who won the crown prize of $100,000 and a Universal Music Group contract.
Huntley, 33, and Justine, 21, were both on former One Direction crooner Niall Horan’s team, though Justine had initially started with John Legend. Leigh was under the tutelage of Reba McEntire, a first-time judge this season. Gwen Stefani’s team didn’t make it into the top five, while Legend’s team had one.
On Tuesday night, contestants sang duets with their respective team leaders, from Christmas tunes to older classics. Horan and Justine performed “Wasted Time” by The Eagles. For her solo performances, Justine sang Adele’s “Turning Tables” and Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” (cowritten by Philadelphia songwriter Jerry Ragovoy).
It’s not the first time Justine has participated in a reality show singing competition: At 11, the bespectacled sixth grader wowed judges on America’s Got Talent singing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and a few years later, she landed in the Top 14 on American Idol as a 16-year-old.
“Thank you everyone for all your kindness, love, and support. I’m so blessed to have you all. I love you always,” Justine, who grew up in Galloway Township, wrote on Instagram ahead of the show.