'The Voice' Season 24: Gwen Stefani slammed for picking 'hard' Lady Gaga song as Calla Prejean loses battle against Chechi Sarai
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.
.@iamcallamusic and @chechisarai gave us an emotional performance for the ages. 💕 #TheVoice pic.twitter.com/aDhRDPtXGW
— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) October 25, 2023
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."
@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
— P M (@GaiaPanMa) October 25, 2023
I don’t love this song picked for them 😩 #thevoice
— Britney Marie (@ItsMISSHarris) October 25, 2023
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."
That performance lacked emotion. Lady Gaga made you FEEL this song. They didn't deliver the message but gave great performances. #TheVoice
— The Jet Mrs. (@TheJetMrsV91) October 25, 2023
All that involuntary jaw moment from both Calla & Checi + inconsistent tone quality and tension. That was kind of hard to listen to. 🤷🏽♀️ #TheVoice
— jada (@houseofwarwick) October 25, 2023
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."
That poor girl didn’t stand a chance against Chechi.. Gwen made that evident in the rehearsal lol #TheVoice
— :) (@_myCAMARAx2) October 25, 2023
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!"
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.
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 airs on Mondays at 8 pm ET and Tuesdays at 9 pm ET on NBC.