'The Voice' Season 24: Gwen Stefani slammed for picking 'hard' Lady Gaga song as Calla Prejean loses battle against Chechi Sarai

Gwen Stefani was called out as viewers found Lady Gaga's song to be a hard choice for battle round after Calla Prejean's elimination
UPDATED OCT 25, 2023
Gwen Stefani blamed for hard song pick which led to Calla Prejean's elimination as Chechi Sarai makes it to the knockouts (Twitter/NBCTheVoice)
Gwen Stefani blamed for hard song pick which led to Calla Prejean's elimination as Chechi Sarai makes it to the knockouts (Twitter/NBCTheVoice)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA: Calla Prejean and Chechi Sarai were paired by Gwen Stefani to perform Lady Gaga's 'I'll Never Love Again' during the battle round on October 24. Fans of 'The Voice', however, quickly criticized the coach for selecting a difficult song that they felt both singers had trouble with.

"We are onto something here," Gwen said of the performance.



 

Calla was unclear about how to develop the song from start to finish, according to John Legend. He complimented Chechi on her performance, saying that her range is "insane".

"You two singing together really complemented each other," observed Reba.

Calla Prejean was eliminated from Team Gwen after Gwen picked Chechi to move ahead in the knockouts!

Frustrated with her decision, some viewers took to X to slam the coach for it.

While addressing the coach, one viewer wrote on X, "@gwenstefani really like you, but don’t know who’s advising you, good song but 1/2 lower would’ve made it easier for both gals & yesterday, giving Céline Dion song to those who don’t have the needed line in their voice also put both singers at a disadvantage."

Another user chimed in, "I don’t love this song picked for them."



 



 

One fan further noted, "That performance lacked emotion. Lady Gaga made you FEEL this song. They didn't deliver the message but gave great performances."

Criticizing both the singers, one viewer wrote, "All that involuntary jaw moment from both Calla & Checi + inconsistent tone quality and tension. That was kind of hard to listen to."



 



 

Accusing Gwen of being biased, one further wrote, "That poor girl didn’t stand a chance against Chechi.. Gwen made that evident in the rehearsal lol."



 

After 'insecure' performance, Gwen Stefani says she would 'spank' vocalist Chechi Sarai

Gwen isn't hesitant to deliver tough love on NBC's 'The Voice' even if it's a little kinky.

Chechi, who struggled to express herself throughout rehearsals, surprised Gwen with her flawless range onstage. But the 'Hollaback Girl' singer detected some residual anxieties, leading her to deliver a sassy pep talk to the Michigan singer.

"That was like a Grammy's first verse. It was so good, but I could still see this little bit of (an) insecure version of you that doesn’t belong on that stage or in your life," Gwen said, adding, "You are just not that girl, so I’m going to just have to spank you, like, no!"

'The Voice' Season 24 singer Chechi Sarain and coach Gwen Stefani (Instagram/chechisarai/YouTube/TheVoice)
'The Voice' Season 24 coach Gwen Stefani threatens to spank singer Chechi Sarain (Instagram/@chechisarai and YouTube/TheVoice)

Who is Calla Prejean on 'The Voice' Season 24?

Callie Prejean is a 22-year-old Nashville-based singer-songwriter and pop performer. She's released three singles as Calla since 2021 -- 'Too Nice', 'Solo', and 'Self-Sabotage'. All have over 100,000 Spotify streams.

'Self-Sabotage' is her best-selling single to date. The single was released in March, and it was followed by an EP of remixes.

She's since released 'Against the Grain', a duet with Kayla Glaze.

Calla grew up in Houston and began performing at an early age. According to her Spotify bio, she was a world-champion hip-hop dancer.

'The Voice' Season 24 singer Calla Prejean performing in the Blind Audition round (NBC)
'The Voice' Season 24 singer Calla Prejean got eliminated following battle rounds (NBC)

Who is Chechi Sarai on 'The Voice' Season 24?

Chechi informed the coaches that she is presently located in Los Angeles, although her hometown is Pontiac, Michigan. Her parents are immigrants from Nigeria.

According to her website, Chechi has worked as a backup vocalist for Kanye West, Lucky Daye, and Deborah Cox. She has also performed as a solo act for international singers such as Baby Charm and others.

Her debut album 'Long Gone' was released in 2017. Over the years, she has continued to release new music. 'December Rain', her most recent song, was released in 2022.

'The Voice' Season 24 singer Chechi Sarai got 4 chair turn (NBC)
'The Voice' Season 24 singer Chechi Sarai moves on to knockouts (NBC)

'The Voice' Season 24 airs on Mondays at 8 pm ET and Tuesdays at 9 pm ET on NBC.

RELATED TOPICS GWEN STEFANI THE VOICE (2011)

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'The Masked Singer' Season 14, judged by Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, Rita Ora, and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, is now set to feature a 'Twilight' week.
15 hours ago
A bold rock performance and one very specific pop-history clue may have quietly exposed Eggplant's true identity
1 day ago
A fierce new wildcard stormed the stage with a bold song choice, cryptic hometown clues, and a costume that sparked instant theories
1 day ago
A familiar face stepped out from behind the petals as another wildcard shook up the competition on a clue-heavy night full of guesses and surprises
1 day ago
‘Summer House’ turns up the tension as Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s crumbling marriage becomes the emotional core of the season
2 days ago
After a life-altering injury ended his sports dreams, Braden Rumfelt finds a new path and a powerful voice on ‘American Idol’ Season 24.
3 days ago
'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' alum Britani Bateman joined her niece, Carmen Lorell Martin, to sing 'Let Me Be Your Star' by SMASH Cast
3 days ago
The mother of three young boys, Hannah Harper, impresses with a heartfelt, composed song about her journey through motherhood.
3 days ago
Sheldon Riley performed Matt Corby's 'Brother' on 'American Idol,' and revealed his true identity after hiding behind a mask for years.
3 days ago
'Below Deck Down Under' is back with a luxury Caribbean setting, a 'Housewives' crossover, and a fresh crew ready for chaos on the high seas
3 days ago