Is N.J. Teen Hailey Mia the 2021 Winner of ‘The Voice’?
Hailey Mia, 14 of Clifton, NJ
Hailey Mia, 14 of Clifton, finished in the Top 5 of "The Voice" Tuesday night.
Hailey Mia was on the verge of making it.
While local hopes were high that 14-year-old Hailey Mia Osorio of Clifton, would be the show's first-ever New Jersey champion, luck wasn't on her side.
Instead, the Jersey adolescent came in fourth place, smiling sweetly as she walked off the platform on Tuesday. Girl Named Tom, an Ohio sibling trio, was named the winner shortly after.
Hailey, a student at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne, crushed a pair of songs during Monday night's Top 5 finale performances, where she sang Olivia Rodrigo's "Deja Vu" and Billie Eilish's "Idontwant tobeyouanymore."
Hailey opened the Monday night showcase with "Deja Vu," working the stage in full pop diva gear, complete with beds and backing dancers. The teen's voice was powerful yet nuanced, as it had been in many of her recent performances, expertly transitioning between full belts and delicate head voice.
Hailey Mia performs Olivia Rodrigo's "deja vu" during the Live Finale on The Voice.
Hailey Mia performs Billie Eilish's "idontwannabeyouanymore" during the Live Finale on The Voice.
Hailey was initially introduced to the show's millions of viewers in late September, when her Blind Audition performance of Tate McRae's "You Broke Me First" drew chair turns from pop superstars Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande.
Hailey initially elected to be on Grande's team, but after she was "rescued" by the previous "American Idol" winner in the Battle Round, she switched to Clarkson's.
At 13, Hailey Mia Performs Tate McRae's "You Broke Me First" | The Voice Blind Auditions 2021
In a combined 40 seasons of "The Voice" and "American Idol," New Jersey has yet to won a singing competition on television. Three Garden State singers had previously made the "The Voice" finale: Paterson teen Wè McDonald placed third in Season 11 in 2016,
Marlton's Christina Grimmie was third in Season 6 in 2014, and Colts Neck's Jacquie Lee was second in Season 5 in 2013.
On “Idol,” only East Brunswick’s Jackie “Jax” Miskanic made the finale, finishing third on Season 14 in 2015.
“Seeing this kind of response, people not just in New Jersey but everywhere, being supportive of me has been the best feeling,” Hailey said. “I’ve seen people who really just enjoy my singing, nothing more nothing less. I really want to inspire young people and people everywhere.”
