The Season 26 premiere of The Voice, which aired this week, featured a standout Blind Audition by 15-year-old Sydney Sterlace, sparking a mix of reactions from fans.
Returning to her coaching seat after a brief hiatus, Gwen Stefani went to unexpected lengths to secure the young talent, a move that stirred both controversy and admiration.
Sterlace, hailing from Buffalo, New York, captivated the audience and coaches with her rendition of Olivia Rodrigo’s hit ‘Driver’s License‘.
Her powerful performance caught the attention of Stefani and Michael Bublé early on, both of whom turned their chairs. As her performance progressed, Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire followed suit, with Snoop even offering a standing ovation before she finished.
The teenager found herself in an enviable position, with all four coaches vying to have her on their team. Stefani began her pitch by highlighting her personal connection to Rodrigo, with whom she performed at Coachella earlier in the year.
“It took me a minute to push my button because it was so unbelievably close to her tone. Now finding out that you’re 15 years old… For me, it would be all about getting to know you and how we can make your style of singing even more saturated with, Sydney,” Stefani explained.
She further emphasized her role on The Voice as a mentor, likening the show to a “boot camp” for young artists, adding that she could be the “cool mom” Sterlace needed to guide her on her journey.
Michael Bublé followed up with a heartfelt pitch, sharing his own experiences working with legendary artists like Tony Bennett. He said: “I got to work with my hero, Tony Bennett. I said, ‘Mr. Bennett, I’ve stolen everything from you,’ and he said, ‘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.’ And that’s what we do as artists.”
Snoop Dogg chimed in, likening Sterlace’s voice to a spiritual experience. “You captivated me like I was in church. The way you just held control of the audience. You made me move, you made me get up,” the rapper remarked, praising her ability to command the stage.
McEntire also complimented the young singer’s emotional maturity and her ability to connect deeply with her audience.
In a surprising move, Stefani pulled out an unexpected tactic to win over the teen. She brought a kitten onstage, claiming the small cat had shown up on her porch without a name. Stefani named the kitten “Sydney” after the contestant, hoping the gesture would sway the young singer’s decision. While the move worked — Sterlace ultimately chose to join Team Gwen — it caused quite a stir among viewers.
Snoop Dogg jokingly referred to Stefani’s ploy as “an illegal use of an animal,” but not all viewers were amused. Some fans took to social media to criticize the use of the kitten as a prop.
One fan wrote: “Don’t appreciate the way Gwen manhandled that scared kitten and used it as a tactic to win a contestant.”
Another viewer commented: “Very poor taste of Gwen to wave a small kitten in the air with all the noise on stage.”
Others pointed out that the kitten seemed frightened by the stage environment, with one person stating: “Gwen needs to stop. That poor kitten. I lost a great deal of respect for Gwen and the organizers of this show.”
Another fan shared similar sentiments: “Please don’t bring a kitten into a loud place like that and then just hold it like a prop!”
However, Stefani’s fans quickly came to her defense.
“She is an animal lover and vegan. Omg. Go complain about something else,” one supporter wrote.
Another added: “That was a great pitch, Gwen. So clever to name the kitty after her!”
Though opinions were divided on Stefani’s actions, many fans remained focused on Sterlace’s impressive performance.
“By far best of the night. She could win the whole thing. It’s people like her why I love & enjoy watching this show,” one fan gushed. Another viewer compared her to Kelly Clarkson, while someone else remarked that she reminded them of Adele.
The next round of Blind Auditions airs on September 30, where more aspiring talents will try to make their mark on the show.
