Life During And After “The Voice” with Semi-Finalist Jackie Foster

Behind the Scenes, Berklee Lessons, and Finding Yourself Again

If you’re anything like me and you grew up watching singing competitions on TV, you probably had the dream to one day also be up on that stage. For Jackie Foster this wasn’t just a dream, it was her reality.

She made it to the semi finals on The Voice and has now shared her journey with me - how she got on the show, what it was like during and what life looked like after the show was over. Here’s her experience - all of it - the highs and the lows.

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🎤 What It’s Really Like to Be on The Voice

🎙 Jackie: “You think it’s just you and your voice, but there’s a machine behind it—contracts, producers, song picks...”

From the outside, shows like The Voice look like pure magic.

But behind the scenes? It’s work. It’s pressure. It’s tight timelines, team dynamics, and constantly trying to prove yourself.

Jackie gave us a real look at:

• How contestants prepare between episodes

  • Practicing and memorizing songs, learning choreography, picking outfits, recording their songs in the studio, etc.

• How little time they actually have with celebrity coaches

  • only one coaching session per week, sometimes asynchronous feedback from the coaches.

  • There were other vocal coaches on staff (not the celebrities) helping the contestants with their songs.

• What it’s like to sing songs you didn’t choose

  • Every song they sing is picked by the producers of the show. Jackie liked that as the songs they chose for her helped push herself out of her comfort zone.

  

🧠 Coaching Insight: Don’t Confuse Performance with Identity

Being on TV fast-tracked Jackie’s exposure, but it also fast-tracked her self-doubt.

🎙 Jackie: “I had so many people telling me what kind of artist I should be—I lost sight of what I wanted.”

Even though Jackie is from San Diego, they called her “The Boston Rocker” on the show (she lived in Boston at the time of the show because of Berklee). While she didn’t mind that, this influenced how she saw herself and how others saw her.

✅ Tip: Fame doesn’t clarify your artistry. It tests it.

Big platforms can amplify your voice—but they can also distort it if you’re not grounded in who you are. If you’re still figuring that out, that’s okay! The real work is finding what feels honest to you.

🎙 Rebuilding Her Voice After Burnout

After The Voice, Jackie went quiet for a while. She was struggling to adjust back into her “normal” life - the life before The Voice.

🎙 Jackie: “They put me on a pedestal - which felt amazing - but then the floor dropped out from underneath me.”

Just like many other contestants, Jackie thought that this was going to be her big break and that this was the start of an amazing career. But as time went on and the show started its next season, people seemed to have moved on.

This was really hard on Jackie’s mental health and so she took a step back from hustling and trying to make it happen to give herself the space to connect with herself, her voice and her artistry again.

✅ Tip: If you feel disconnected from your voice—pause, don’t quit.

Give yourself time to explore without pressure. Write messy songs. Sing covers for fun. Let your curiosity lead. Your voice will still be there when you're ready to use it again.

💡 What Singers Can Learn From Jackie’s Journey

• ✨ Artist identity is earned, not assigned. Just because you’re on a platform doesn’t mean you’re done growing.

• 🧭 Fame is not the finish line. It’s just another stop on the journey—and it can blur your vision if you’re not careful.

• 🔁 Your voice will evolve. Let it. What felt right five years ago might not now—and that’s growth.

• 🎯 You don’t need to impress everyone. You just need to stay connected to your “why.”

🎧 Want to Hear the Full Episode?

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to sing on national TV—or how to rebuild your voice after burnout—Jackie’s story will meet you right where you are.

Follow Jackie on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/itsjackiefoster/

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