'That Was God Answering My Prayers'—Gwen Stefani Sheds Tears For Teenage 'Voice' Contestant

Dec 15, 2020 by apost team

The Voice contestant Carter Rubin has proved to be a phenomenal performer already and he's only 14 years old. His coach on the show, Gwen Stefani, has been a real mother figure to the breakthrough talent, as she's also the mother of three boys. In a recent performance of Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie, Rubin showed off his incredible singing talent and even brought Stefani to tears in the process.

Carter Rubin is a very special performer. Not only is the teenager a mere 14 years of age, but his vocal talent is at a level that rivals singers much older than him. When he initially auditioned for the show, the young man sang Lewis Capaldi's Before You Go and instantly impressed the coaches. Gwen Stefani was the first to comment, telling him:

“You do not look like your voice. I can’t believe what I am hearing and seeing right now. This is a shock.”

The three remaining coaches—Blake Shelton, John Legend, and Kelly Clarkson—were also in disbelief at the teenager with dimples who stood before them. Shelton commented, “I heard a few things in there that made me think you were younger, but I didn’t know that you were that young." Meanwhile, Clarkson had some warm words for the teenager, telling him:

“I hope you are flying right now. You have the most incredible smile I think I have possibly ever seen on any human. I cannot stop smiling because it is so beautiful. You have a really great voice, especially finding out that you’re 14. That’s insane. So, congratulations.”

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Rubin's happiness and excitement were evident as he was beaming, showing off his adorable smile and dimples. But then it came down to business and it was time for Rubin to choose who his coach would be. The two who had turned their chairs around for him were John Legend and Gwen Stefani. Legend spoke sincerely, telling Rubin:

“You sounded polished, you sounded strong. Your voice has control, which a lot of people your age wouldn’t have, and your tone is just piercing and brilliant and it just shimmers out there.”

Stefani made her pitch by telling Rubin immediately that she has a son who's also 14 and could be a kind of mother figure to him. Additionally, she wanted to help him with his stage presence, his look, and how to navigate the songs he'd perform at such a young age with both her showbiz and motherly know-how. Both coaches had their strengths to offer but it was Stefani who Rubin ended up choosing to go with.

Fast forward through his journey on the show—which has seen the teenager turn 15 while showcasing the true strengths of his talents—to the semifinals in early December, when Rubin performed Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie. His already polished and strong voice simply shined as he hit high notes beautifully and with emotion beyond his years. Clearly his biggest fan, Stefani was completely awestruck during the performance and at the end collapsed forward before lifting her head to wipe away tears and throw her hands up in disbelief. She said to Rubin:

“Oh my God! Your mom is crying. I am crying! That was flawless. That was God answering my prayers, that was so beautiful.”

She continued on, expressing her gratitude at being his coach:

“I’m so honored that you picked me, and I’m crying, and I’m so happy, and I love this frickin’ show. Congratulations!"

Expressing that the song is very dear to her as she sang it to her young boys, Stefani told Rubin, "you're so gifted, you're so intuitive, and your heart is full of music."

Rubin shared his own thoughts on the performance via social media. Posting to his Instagram he wrote: 

"don’t get me wrong, i LOVED “you say” but this might take the cake as my favorite performance☺️ it was dedicated to my big brother who i absolutely adore. he’s taught me so much about true joy and believing. jack, thanks for being YOU."

He then thanked Gwen, stating: "thank you for helping me unlock emotions that i didn’t even know i had. you are TRULY the most amazing coach." The young performer also thanked his fellow semifinalists, calling them "amazing role models" and saying it was an honor to share the stage with them. Fans gave their opinions on Facebook, with many believing Rubin could win—which would mark Stefani's first win as a coach on the show. One commenter wrote:

"Carter was absolutely amazing Gwen gave him an incredibly hard song and he was beyond great! He is my number 1 first choice to win this competition I can't vote so good luck you deserve to win"

Another added: "This kids [sic] got it all. He could be a Disney Star, he could be on Broadway. He has a beautiful voice.♥" While another commenter got right to the point:

"I think Gwen may have her first win, at least she should. This kid is so amazing. He deserves to win."

The youngest performer left in the competition on this season of The Voice, Rubin earned his spot in the semifinals by performing Mariah Carey's Hero the week prior. His bio on the show's official website reveals that the teenager grew up in a musical family, and is greatly inspired by his grandpa, who was a guitarist and backup vocalist for Jay and the Americans. It also notes Rubin's closeness with his brother Jack, who has autism. He loves to sing and play music with him, and together they perform for their family's autism foundation, which takes families on surprise trips to amusement parks. Additionally, Rubin performs in school musicals and other community events.

This season also marks Gwen Stefani's return to The Voice after some time away. Originally appearing on the show's 7th season, Stefani has also been a coach on seasons 9, 12, 17, and now 19. However, she's not had any luck with her competitors winning, but that could all change with Rubin.

Gwen Stefani got her start in the music industry with the alternative rock band No Doubt, which formed in 1986. The band quickly rose to prominence and became internationally renowned. For the next two decades she was the frontwoman and poster girl for the band, but eventually in 2004 made the jump into pop music with a very successful solo career. Over the next ten years, she would switch between both musical projects, but by 2016, it seemed the future of No Doubt was uncertain. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Stefani stated:

"I don’t know what’s going to happen with No Doubt. When Tony [Kanal] and I are connected creatively, it’s magic. But I think we’ve grown apart as far as what kind of music we want to make. I was really drained and burned out when we recorded that album [2012’s Push and Shove]. And I had a lot of guilt: “I have to do it.” That’s not the right setting to make music. There’s some really great writing on that record. But the production felt really conflicted. It was sad how we all waited that long to put something out and it didn’t get heard."

In the last few years, she's also had a residency in Las Vegas, performing a range of songs from her career, spanning the early No Doubt era to her most recent solo work. On top of that, of course, is her turn as a coach on The Voice. The show holds a special place in her heart as it's also where she met her now-fiancé Blake Shelton. The two initially bonded over going through divorces at the same time in 2015—Stefani with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, and Shelton with his ex-wife Miranda Lambert. After a period of friendship, they became romantically involved and have been together ever since.

The couple appears incredibly happy and post frequently about each other on social media. Shelton has stepped in as a kind of stepfather to Stefani's three sons, Kingston, 14, Zuma, 12, and Apollo, 6, while the couple has regularly had to fend off questions about if they'll ever marry. In fact, they're often mistaken to be married, even by celebrities. On an August appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the singer Dua Lipa incorrectly called Shelton Stefani's husband. Stefani was quick to correct her, stating, "Um, well...he's not my husband, but that sounded cool when you said it."

Then in October 2020, the news that everyone had been waiting for was announced—Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani were engaged! Stefani shared the news on her Instagram with a gorgeous picture of the two of them kissing with the caption: "@blakeshelton yes please! 💍🙏🏻 gx"

We're sure 2021 holds a lot of love and positivity in store for the happy couple. Now, if only Gwen Stefani can just nab her first win on The Voice this month, she'd be off to an incredible start to the new year already! 

Are you a fan of The Voice or Gwen Stefani? Do you think Carter Rubin deserves to win this season? Let us know who you're rooting for in the comments, then pass this on to those you know to spread the word!