‘The Voice 2024’: Gwen Stefani Sparks Heated Debate over ‘Stunt’ to Win 15-Year-Old Contestant

Not every viewer agreed with Gwen Stefani’s contentious decision to win over a competitor who was 15 years old during the premiere of “The Voice”. Many implored her to never do it again, while others questioned her morality.

On September 23, 2024, in “The Voice” season 26, Sydney Sterlace, then 15 years old, gave a brilliant blind audition. Viewers’ reactions to Gwen Stefani’s return to coaching after a brief break were varied as she presented something on stage to convince the teenager to join her team.

A young vocalist from Buffalo, New York named Sterlace stunned both the coaches and the audience with her intense performance of Olivia Rodrigo’s hit song “Driver’s License.” Stefani and Michael Bublé turned their chairs early in the audition after the teenager’s performance, which was met with enthusiastic applause from her parents and grandma.

Later on, Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg followed suit. The rapper went so far as to give Sterlace a standing ovation even before she concluded her performance.

The teen was in high demand and all four coaches wanted to have her on their team after her outstanding tryout. Beginning her pitch, Stefani discussed her relationship with Rodrigo, with whom she had played at Coachella earlier this year.

Because the tone was so incredibly similar to hers, it took me a minute to press my button. Now that I know you’re fifteen years old… “To me, it would be all about getting to know you and how we can enhance your singing style even further,” Sydney, the young vocalist said.

The singer of No Doubt went on to say that “The Voice” is similar to a “boot camp” where she could assist Sterlace in developing her craft swiftly. Calling herself the “cool mom” the teen needed to mentor her on the show, she concluded her appeal.

Bublé was the next to speak, sharing stories about his collaborations with musical icons like Tony Bennett. He pushed Sterlace to see the artistic value in picking up knowledge from others.

Tony Bennett, my hero, was my boss. “You know, kid, when you steal from one person, you’re just a thief, but when you steal from everybody, you can call it research,” Mr. Bennett responded in response to my accusation that I had stolen everything from him. And as artists, that’s what we do,” said Bublé.

Following, Snoop Dogg arrived and compared Sterlace’s singing to a religious experience. You had me enthralled, just as I was at church. The way you simply kept the audience under your thumb. You forced me to move and get up,” he said.

The rapper added that he was so moved by her voice that he was waiting for the song to conclude before he could thank her. Following, McEntire praised the teen’s emotional development and her capacity to establish a strong connection with the audience.

There was a lot of pressure on Sterlace, her teenage daughter, to choose between the four coaches vying for her attention. But Stefani suddenly raised the stakes.

In a gesture that startled her other coaches and stirred outrage online, the singer brought a kitten onstage. She said the little nameless cat had just appeared on her porch. The young vocalist inspired her to name it “Sydney” at that point.

Stefani’s unconventional approach seemed to endear the competitor and the audience; Snoop Dogg even mockingly referred to it as a “illegal use of an animal.” Sterlace decided to join Team Gwen as a result.

Although adorable, not everyone found the kitten’s entrance to be well-received. Stefani’s use of it in her presentation was swiftly met with criticism from a number of fans.

A fan commented, “Don’t appreciate the way Gwen manhandled that scared kitten and used it as a tactic to win a contestant.” Another said, “Very good voice. Gwen’s decision to wave a tiny kitten in the air amid all the hubbub on stage was really inconsiderate. Not shocked she would do that though but being 56 years old, she should know better [sic].”

The kitten appeared scared by the loud noises on stage, as noted by a number of admirers. “A lovely voice. But Gwen must give up. That darn kitten. Blake brought on a puppy, I recall. That was adorable, and the puppy wasn’t abused. However, Gwen, this was a terrible way to handle an animal. Particularly a baby [sic],” a viewer said.

A few of admirers observed that the cat appeared scared of the loud noises coming from the stage. “Very lovely voice. Gwen must, however, pause. What a miserable kitten. Blake gave birth to a dog, as I recall. The puppy wasn’t abused, and that was adorable. That Gwen, however, was a terrible way to treat an animal. specifically a baby [sic],” a viewer said.

It was said by another, “I’m not watching anymore because of this.” “Love this young lady’s voice but the stunt Gwen pulled with the very young terrified kitten was just wrong,” expressed worries expressed by another viewer. Anyone familiar with animals could see that it was utterly afraid as it swung around like a stuffed animal. When this was permitted, I lost a lot of respect for Gwen and the show’s organizers.”

Other viewers begged the show to refrain from doing such things going forward. “Hey ‘The Voice,’ tell Gwen not to use a tactic like that again,” someone said. Not a wise choice.

“GWEN please don’t bring a kitten into a loud place like that and then just hold it like a prop!” said another disgruntled fan. That kind of up in the air terrifies them. […] When you lifted the kitten so high in the air, I winced. How impolite! Don’t do that again, please. They are unique entities that should not be treated carelessly. God Almighty!”

On the other hand, Stefani’s supporters were numerous. One commenter stated, “She is vegan and a lover of animals.” Oh my god. Move on to something else to moan about. She adores her kitties and has them.”

Another complimented the action and said, “Gwen, that was a great pitch. What a great idea to name the cat after her! Though that was really adorable, she would have chosen you anyhow.”

What a fan wrote: “You didn’t seem to take her advice? That kitty was saved by her. At the time of discovery, it was almost dead. This frequently occurs close to fields.

It might not have been Stefani’s idea, according to others. “Well, I think the writers brought the kitten into the script,” someone commented, “but she agreed by doing it.” Just stating.”

Still, not everyone was engrossed in the kitty drama. A lot of people were mesmerized by Sterlace’s performance and thought the young singer would have a great future. The best of the evening, by far. She has a chance to win everything. One admirer exclaimed, “I love and enjoy watching this show because of people like her.”

Some viewers referred to her as “Mini Kelly Clarkson,” while others believed Adele was like her. “15!!!,” an Instagram user continued. She is an entire being. Her future appears to be quite promising.”

Sterlace is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about contestants of the season premiere thanks to her debut on the show and the controversy surrounding Stefani’s prank. It remains to be seen whether the cat incident will have a lasting effect on Stefani’s standing as an experienced coach, but one thing is certain: this teenager is someone to keep an eye on.

On September 30, there will be another round of blind auditions where even more gifted applicants will vie for a coveted slot on “The Voice.”