It took Chicago indie-jazz vocalist Mara Love two tries to win one of the city’s most coveted prizes for emerging musicians: the top honor at the Chicago Made Showcase.Love said she didn’t even plan to enter again, until she was encouraged to do so by competition organizers Mark Hubbard and Reggie Ayers.
Each year, the competition put on by Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in partnership with Next Showcase honors one grand prize winner with $10,000.
The showcase wrapped up on Oct. 25 with a performance at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater hosted by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
This year 150 vocalists auditioned. The list was whittled down by a panel of judges to 15 finalists over two rounds before the finale. Love took home the $10K for “her powerful voice, storytelling and commitment to representing Chicago’s vibrant music culture,” according to DCASE.
Runners up Corr Kendricks and Free Joel Band were selected to perform at the showcase’s Lollapalooza stage. Chosen to perform on the showcase’s Taste of Chicago Stage in 2026 were Kristen LoweD. Lyles, Adam Ness, Vicki Street and Bryce Melik. The latter also won free studio recording time at Classick Studios, founded by judge Chris Classick.
Though most applicants sang something different each round, Love opted to sing the same song, an unreleased single titled “Someday,” each time she took the stage. In an interview with Vocalo’s Nudia Hernandez the week after her win, she said she was nervous to compete against the myriad talented Chicagoans, many of whom she looks up to, but also noted her competitors were encouraging throughout the process.
Mara’s prize-winning single “Someday” does not yet have a release date. She’ll be taking the stage next at the Epiphany Art Center on Nov. 13 for “Once Upon a Vibe,” a concert reimagining Disney songs with a blend of R&B and jazz.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Nudia Hernandez: How did you hear about the Chicago Made Showcase? When did you think, “I need to submit for this?”
Mara Love: This was my second time auditioning. The first time they did it, I made it to the finale. I sang with a past partner, and I was like, “Okay, that was fun, but too much anxiety. We’re not gonna do that again.” Mark Hubbard and Reggie Ayers over at Next Showcase [USA, a Chicago platform supporting emerging artists,] were like, “Mara, you’re not doing the audition again? Can you please audition?” I was like, “Okay, fine, I’ll do it … Uncle Reggie never really asks me to do too much, so let me go and do it and just try.”
What was that experience like? 150 people applied.
The judges — oh, I am glad I wasn’t them, because when I learned of a few of the artists that had auditioned, I was like, “Oh, wait, these are vocalists that I look up to.” These are people that I study when I go outside. I’m like, “OK, I’m gonna share the same stage and try to win money against you all, too? Okay.” But, by the grace of God, I got it. I’m very grateful.
There’s a couple of different rounds. How’d you prepare for that? What songs did you get ready for this?
I sang one song the entire competition.
Did everyone do that, or were people switching it up?
No, people definitely switched it up. The first time I did it, I switched it up a few times, but this time … I went through a breakup early this year, and I wrote a song at the end of it, when I came out of it, out of my little depression spell.
It’s really hard to sing out in public because it’s so emotional. I only sang a little bit for the audition the first round, and Uncle Mark — Mark Hubbard — was like, “Mara, do that again.” At the semi-finals, I sang the full song. When I came back for the finale, Frayne [Lewis, Deputy Commissioner of Programming at DCASE], was like, “Mara, come back and do that song … This song connected with not just the judges, but everybody in the room. People need to hear that, do that again.” I just came back and sang what felt good for me, what felt real for me. That is like my little life soundtrack at the current moment, so it was really just easy to sing it and tune out the fact that, “Oh my God, I’m in a competition with all these other vocalists.” I’m in my bathroom right now, singing to myself.
What was it like the moment when they announced you as the winner?
I was seated, and my mom and my sister and my nephew were off to the side of me, and I heard him say the winner, but my brain didn’t process he said my name. So I kind of sat there, and I heard my sister screaming, “That’s my sister!” And I’m like, “Wait, did he say my name? That’s crazy.”
Everybody was so loving and so encouraging, and a few of the artists were like, “Mara, you got it.” I was like, “Wait, no, you. You got it. I’m a little nervous right now. I sang the same thing. You guys have shown variety. You guys have, I feel like, put way more heart because you did all this stuff … I just sang this one song. I played it safe, right? He didn’t call me.” It didn’t hit me. Frayne was on the microphone: “Mara, walk faster! Come on, one foot in front of the other!” I’m walking like, “I’m trying not to break down and cry in front of all of you guys.”
Let’s talk about what happens after you win. Do they tell you what the next year is gonna look like for you?
They do not, but a few of the judges did talk with me. So far I’ve met with Chris Classick, [renowned Chicago producer and founder of Classick Studios]. He gave me some great advice, he’s offered to help me with my project and actually record the song that I did for the audition. That has been crazy amazing. But they just told me, “Prepare yourself. Stuff is gonna happen. Stuff is gonna change.” And it’s definitely shown that this past week.