Sydney Sterlace, a 15-year-old high school student from West Seneca West, took the stage during the blind auditions and left the judges in awe with her breathtaking performance of Olivia Rodrigo’s Driver’s License. Her powerful vocals earned her a rare four-chair turnaround, with Michael Bublé, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, and Reba McEntire all eager to have her on their teams.

Viewers couldn’t contain their excitement, flooding social media with comments like “Mini Kelly Clarkson??!” and “Vocals are insane!!!!” Many fans were already predicting her as a finalist after just one performance, with others praising her for completely nailing a notoriously difficult song.

The crowd was on their feet, and Snoop was the first to give Sydney a standing ovation, quickly followed by the rest of the judges. Despite receiving offers from all four coaches, Sydney chose to join Gwen Stefani’s team, saying, “I’ve had my heart set on Gwen this whole time.”

Sydney Sterlace, the 15-year-old singer from West Seneca West, secured third place on The Voice Season 26. She was a finalist on Team Gwen Stefani, with Sofronio Vasquez from Team Michael Bublé winning the competition and Shye from Team Bublé as the runner-up.

After her performance in the finale, Coach Gwen Stefani praised Sydney’s journey, stating, “Every single moment counts. Being in the moment is what matters. Winning doesn’t matter. You’ve won.”

Reflecting on her experience, Sydney shared on social media, “Being on a show like The Voice has always been the biggest dream of mine. I can’t even believe that my dream came true so quickly in my life.”