On the premiere of The Voice's 24th season, there was a stunning moment that led to all four coaches vying for the talented singer Mara Justine, and some playful antics reminiscent of the show's winning coach, Blake Shelton.
Mara Justine captivated the coaches with her rendition of Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Niall Horan, Gwen Stefani, John Legend, and the new coach, Reba McEntire, were eager to have her on their teams.
Niall Horan couldn't help but express his admiration, noting that singing an Elton John song in the first round with such finesse was truly remarkable. Reba praised Mara for her confidence and stage presence, while John Legend, always quick to point out that he was the first to turn his chair, commended her tone and finesse in the lower part of the song.
However, Niall wasn't willing to back down easily and made a sly reference to a former coach, no longer on the show and residing in Oklahoma, who had given him a tip. Gwen Stefani recognized the reference and shared a laugh. Niall revealed that Blake had taught him a trick to ensure he secures team members, and he pressed his button, revealing Blake's iconic "Pick Me" red pointer finger. This time, however, Blake's name had been crossed out, replaced with "Pick Niall."
In retaliation, John Legend used one of his favorite tactics, joining Mara on stage to perform a portion of "All of Me" together, leaving the young singer in awe.
As for Mara's decision, The Voice fans were left in suspense, as her choice will be unveiled during the beginning of the Blind Auditions on the following Tuesday.
In a pre-season interview with the coaches, Niall Horan expressed missing his "TV dad" Blake after their camaraderie from the previous season. Gwen Stefani playfully teased that Niall and Blake were like little-big buddies, with Blake often wanting to hang out whenever he was in town.