The season 26 premiere of “The Voice” on September 23, 2024, featured a standout Blind Audition from 15-year-old Sydney Sterlace. Gwen Stefani, back as a coach, used an unconventional approach to persuade the teen to join her team, causing mixed reactions from viewers.

Sterlace, a young singer from Buffalo, New York, wowed the audience and coaches with her powerful rendition of Olivia Rodrigo’s hit “Driver’s License.” With her parents and grandmother cheering her on from the sidelines, the teenager delivered a performance that immediately impressed Stefani and Michael Bublé, both of whom turned on their chairs early in the audition.

Later, Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire did the same. The rapper even stood to offer Sterlace a standing ovation before she finished singing.

This remarkable audition put the teen in a coveted position where all four coaches were eager to have her on their team. Stefani kicked off her pitch by talking about her connection to Rodrigo, whom she performed with at Coachella earlier this 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 can we make your style of singing even more saturated with Sydney?” she told the young singer.

The No Doubt singer even added that “The Voice” is like a “boot camp” where she could help Sterlace grow quickly as an artist. She ended her plea by calling herself the “cool mom” the teen needed to guide her on the show.

Next up was Bublé, who spoke of his experiences working with musical legends like Tony Bennett. He urged Sterlace to embrace the artistry of learning from others.

“I got to work with my hero, Tony Bennett. I said, ‘Mr. Bennett, I’ve stolen everything from you.’ 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,” Bublé explained.

Snoop Dogg came afterward, and he likened Sterlace’s singing 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,” he shared.

The rapper also said that he was so moved by her voice he couldn’t wait for the song to end before expressing his admiration. McEntire followed and applauded the teen’s emotional maturity and her ability to connect with the audience on such a deep level.

With all four coaches vying for Sterlace’s attention, the pressure was on for the teenager to make her decision. However, Stefani unexpectedly upped the ante.

In a move that shocked her fellow coaches and sparked controversy online, the singer brought a kitten onstage. She claimed the tiny cat had appeared on her porch and had no name. Then, she decided to call it “Sydney” after the young singer.

Stefani’s strange method appeared to charm both the contestant and the audience, with Snoop Dogg playfully calling it “illegal use of an animal.” As a result, Sterlace chose to join Team Gwen.

While cute, the kitten’s introduction wasn’t well-received by everyone. Many fans were quick to criticize Stefani for using it as part of her pitch.

One viewer wrote, “Don’t appreciate the way Gwen manhandled that scared kitten and used it as a tactic to win a contestant.” Another commented, “Great voice. Very poor taste of Gwen to wave a small kitten in the air with all the noise on stage. Not surprised she would do that though but being 56 years old, she should know better [sic].”

Several fans pointed out that the kitten seemed frightened by the loud noises on stage. “Lovely voice. But Gwen needs to stop. That poor kitten. I remember Blake bringing on a puppy. That was cute and the puppy wasn’t mistreated. But this Gwen, was an awful way to treat an animal. Especially a baby [sic],” one viewer commented.

Someone else added, “I’m not watching anymore because of this.” Another fan shared their concerns:

“Love this young lady’s voice but the stunt Gwen pulled with the very young terrified kitten was just wrong. Swinging it around like a stuffed toy, anyone that knows animals could tell it was completely terrified. I lost a great deal of respect for Gwen and the organizers of this show that they allowed this.”

Other viewers urged the show to avoid such actions in the future. One person stated, “Hey ‘The Voice,’ tell Gwen not to use a tactic like that again. Not a smart move.”

Another fan expressed their discomfort, “GWEN please don’t bring a kitten into a loud place like that and then just hold it like a prop! Up in the air like that scares them. […] I cringed when you held that kitten up in the air like that. So disrespectful!!! Please don’t do that again. They are special beings and not something you can wave around like that. Jesus!!!”

However, there were plenty of fans who came to Stefani’s defense. One supporter wrote, “She is an animal lover and vegan. Omg. Go complain about something else. She has cats and loves them.”

Another praised the move and added, “That was a great pitch, Gwen. So clever to name the kitty after her! She would have chosen you anyway, but that was super cute.”

Another fan wrote, “Did you not listen to her? She saved that kitten. It was near death when they found it. Which happens a lot near farms.”

Others suggested it may not have been Stefani’s idea. Someone wrote, “Well, I’m thinking the writers brought the kitten into the script, but she agreed by doing it. Just saying.”

Not everyone was focused on the kitten drama, though. Many fans were captivated by Sterlace’s performance, predicting a bright future for the young singer. “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 called her “Mini Kelly Clarkson,” and someone else said she reminded them of Adele. An Instagram user added, “15!!! She is a whole package. Her future looks so bright.”

Sterlace’s first appearance on the show, combined with the stir caused by Stefani’s stunt, has certainly made her one of the most talked-about contestants of the season premiere. Whether or not the kitten incident will have a lasting impact on Stefani’s reputation as a veteran coach remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: this teen is a name to watch.

Tune in on September 30 for the next set of Blind Auditions, where more talented hopefuls will compete for a coveted spot on “The Voice.”