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‘The Voice’ Contestant Jershika Maple Opens Up About Her Experience on the Show

On Season 21 of “The Voice,” contestant Jershika Maple had one of the most nail-biting blind auditions of the season. The 24 year old Texan took the stage with New Edition’s “Can You Stand the Rain,” and was pulling out all the stops to impress the judges. As her song was coming to an end, every judge still had their back turned. However, she gave it her all and nailed a high note at the end of her time slot– and suddenly, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend were both face to face with Maple. 

She went with Team Kelly and had a wild journey on the show. Although Jershika almost went home during the Battle Rounds, both John Legend and Ariana Grande used their saves on her. She moved forward with Legend, and ended the Season in fifth place. “When I tell you John Legend is so professional!” Maple said in an interview with NBC. “He’s going to tell you what he wants, what he sees, what the vision is for it, what he hears, and I appreciate that. Just to have someone at that level complimenting me about my craft and helping me with my craft, it really meant the world. I am grateful for our forever, lifelong friendship.”

Her time on the show was filled with action. Her cover of “Inseparable” by Natalie Cole from the Knockout rounds inspired a TikTok trend, and she eventually released a studio version of the cover. The contestant was also open about her struggle with dyslexia on the show, which only made her fans love her more. 

‘The Voice’ Contestant Says She Doesn’t Like Competitions

“Being myself was literally all I could offer because that’s all I knew how to be,” Maple told NBC. “This was my first time going into something like this. I didn’t know how to be anyone but just Jershika. And I saw that people responded to me being just Jershika.” 

For Maple, she didn’t always see herself doing “The Voice.” “I always told myself I wouldn’t do competition shows because I do not like competitions,” she explained. “But I was able to change that perspective for myself by saying I’m not competing with others, just myself. I repeated that a lot of times on the show…After the year of COVID, I prayed about it and I made [the decision] in my mind. I was like, ‘I’ll just try something new and see where it goes.’ And I’m so glad I said yes to that, cause look at me now.”

The 24 year old Texan shared that her experience on the show inspired a lot of self-growth, and that being vulnerable in front of the whole world helped her realize how much she truly loves performing. 

The network is starting a new singing competition show, called “American Song Contest,” and Maple had some special advice for artists competing on the show. 

“I always circle back to the simplest thing, which is being yourself. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine. Don’t be afraid to step out, and don’t be afraid to own what you’re doing. You have a gift. Believe in yourself. Always remember you’re not in competition with anybody but yourself.”