At just nine years old, Mara Justine walked onto a local stage in New Jersey, sang Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” and won. That single moment lit a fire that would take her to national television three times.
Born on February 28, 2002, she is an American singer from Galloway Township, New Jersey, best known as a finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and The Voice. Her voice stops people in their tracks.
Her story, rooted in family, faith, and resilience, keeps them coming back.
Who Is Mara Justine?
Mara Justine is one of the most recognizable young singing talents to come out of the reality TV competition circuit in recent years.
She first captured national attention in 2014 when, at just 11 years old, she auditioned for Season 9 of America’s Got Talent. Her performance earned a unanimous standing ovation and four “yes” votes from the judges. She made it all the way to the top 12 before being eliminated.
Most competitors might take years to recover from that. Mara returned to national television in 2018 for Season 16 of American Idol, where she advanced to the top 14.
Then, in 2023, she came back again for Season 24 of The Voice, earning a rare four-chair turn during her blind audition and finishing in the top five as a member of Team Niall Horan.
What sets Mara apart is not just her vocal power. It is the emotional depth she brings to every performance. Deeply rooted in her Italian family, her faith, and the memory of her late grandmother, she sings like someone who genuinely means every word.
She has also branched into worship music in recent years, with releases like “Stand Still,” “Refiner,” and “Blessed Assurance” attracting tens of millions of streams.
Mara Justine Early Life
Mara Justine was born and raised in Galloway Township, New Jersey, a small community in Atlantic County near the Jersey Shore. She comes from a large, close-knit Italian family and grew up surrounded by music.
Family has always been her foundation. Her siblings showed up to her local performances. Her late grandmother was her most devoted fan, and Mara often dedicated her shows to her memory.
Mara’s singing career began by accident, in the best possible way. At nine, she entered a local competition and performed Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All.” She won. From that point on, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.
She started performing at charity events, sporting functions, and local venues along the Jersey Shore. Her mother, Linda Platt, recognized Mara’s gift early and guided her with care.
Linda enrolled her with noted vocal coach Sal Dupree, who had previously trained Bianca Ryan, the first-ever winner of America’s Got Talent.
Age
Mara Justine is 24 years old as of 2026, born on February 28, 2002.
Ethnicity and Nationality
Mara Justine is American by nationality. She comes from an Italian-American background, a heritage she has spoken about openly and with great pride.
Mara Justine Height and Weight
Mara Justine stands at 5 feet 4 inches tall (1.62 meters). Her weight is not publicly confirmed.
Mara Justine Family
Family is at the heart of everything Mara does. She is the fourth of five siblings, with four others including her sister Jacey Marie, who is also a singer and has collaborated with Mara on YouTube content.
Mara also has brothers Ryan and Brandon, and a sister named Alyssa.
Her mother, Linda Platt, has been the anchor of the family. During Mara’s run on The Voice in 2023, Linda was facing a battle with early-stage breast cancer.
Mara revealed this publicly on the show, fighting back tears as she described how her mother was doing everything she could to be present while going through treatment. “Music is my medicine,” Mara said during the show’s premiere. “It gets me through everything. I have a new outlook on life.”
Linda’s strength during that period clearly shaped how Mara approached her performances on The Voice. The two share a bond that has been visible throughout Mara’s career.
Linda has attended countless shows, and Mara credits her with building the foundation that made her career possible.
Mara Justine Career
America’s Got Talent (2014)
Mara’s national debut came in 2014 when she auditioned for Season 9 of America’s Got Talent at age 11. She walked out and sang “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, the song made famous by Jennifer Hudson.
Judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel all voted yes simultaneously. In Judgment Week, she was placed in the “Kid Singers” category and performed Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” to rave reviews.
She went on to the quarterfinals with Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally,” earning all four judges’ votes again. In the semifinals, she brought the panel to their feet with Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway.”
She made it to the finals, where she performed “Perfect” by Pink. Unfortunately, a sound issue affected her top 12 performance. She was eliminated that night but left as one of the most memorable young voices in the show’s history.
American Idol (2018)
Four years later, Mara returned to national television with Season 16 of American Idol. She auditioned in New York, performing Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain.”
She advanced through Hollywood Week and made it to the top 14 before being eliminated. The run confirmed that her talent had grown. She was no longer just a child prodigy. She was becoming a serious artist.
The Voice Season 24 (2023)
Mara’s most celebrated TV moment came in 2023 when she auditioned for Season 24 of The Voice. She performed Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and received a four-chair turn, the highest honor in the blind audition round.
All four coaches, including Niall Horan, John Legend, Reba McEntire, and Gwen Stefani, competed to have her on their team.
She initially chose John Legend, who called her “one of the most gifted vocalists I’ve ever been around.” In the knockout rounds, Niall Horan stole her for his team.
She went on to deliver powerful performances throughout the season, including Adele’s “Turning Tables” and Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” during the two-night finale.
She finished in third place overall, an extraordinary result for a contestant competing against some of the strongest singers in the show’s recent history.
Music Releases and Worship Career
Beyond television, Mara has been building her own catalog of original music. She released a self-titled EP in 2015. Since then, she has put out a series of singles and albums including In the Making (2019), Better Days (2020), and various originals that reflect her faith and personal journey.
In recent years, she has moved into Christian and worship music. Her single “Stand Still” accumulated over 20 million streams. She has also featured on worship tracks “Refiner” and “Diamond (I See The Glory),” released in 2025.
Her music is distributed on all major platforms and featured on Worship Together. She performs regularly in New Jersey to sold-out shows and has ambitions of expanding her tour footprint.
Mara Justine Net Worth
Mara Justine’s estimated net worth is around $2 million as of 2026. Her income comes from live performances, music royalties, streaming revenue, and brand partnerships developed through her social media following.
Her primary earning source is her career as a live performer. She has been performing at venues along the Jersey Shore since her early teens and now draws sold-out audiences in her home state of New Jersey. Following her success on The Voice, her booking value increased significantly.
Her worship music catalog has also contributed to her earnings. “Stand Still” alone surpassed 20 million streams, generating meaningful royalty income. Additional featured tracks released in 2024 and 2025 have added to that base.
Mara’s TikTok presence, where she has over 612,000 followers and videos with tens of millions of views, provides further opportunities for brand sponsorships and creator monetization. Her YouTube channel, where her 2020 cover of Bishop Briggs’ “River” has accumulated nearly a million views, adds to her digital revenue streams.
Mara Justine Social Media
Mara Justine is active across multiple platforms and has built a genuine following through her covers and original music.
On TikTok, she has over 612,000 followers, with videos collectively receiving more than 9.3 million likes. Her cover of “You Know My Name” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard alone earned over 2 million likes on the platform.
On Facebook, her page has over 147,000 followers. She is also active on Instagram and YouTube, where she posts covers and original performances regularly. Her YouTube cover of “River” by Bishop Briggs has nearly a million views.
Mara Justine Relationship
Mara Justine keeps her personal life very private. She has not publicly confirmed a relationship or boyfriend as of 2026. In interviews, she has focused almost entirely on her music and her family, especially her mother Linda’s health journey.
She maintains a clear boundary between her professional presence on social media and her private life.
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Summary
Mara Justine’s story is one of perseverance and heart. She started singing to win a local competition, and she has never really stopped competing, or winning people over. What makes her story genuinely moving is not just the talent.
It is the family behind her, the faith that drives her, and the quiet resilience she showed through her mother’s illness.
At 24, she is still very much at the beginning of what her career can be.