Teenager wins The Voice
Carter Rubin becomes youngest male champion in competition show's history
Everyone loves stories about extraordinarily talented kids, and this season of The Voice was no exception: Carter Rubin, a 15-yearold from Long Island with soaring vocal skills that brought the celebrity coaches to tears, was crowned winner on the season 19 finale Tuesday night.
Gwen Stefani, Rubin's coach and mentor, screamed as the results were announced and confetti rained down on her young pupil. She ran to the stage and then abruptly stopped, apparently remembering pandemic protocols that dictate contestants and coaches must stay apart.
“Can we hug? I don't know!” she yelled over the piped-in crowd noise. (There was no live audience allowed this season.) Ultimately, they did not hug, and Stefani settled for shouting, “You won The Voice! You won The Voice! You won The Voice during a pandemic!”
The win comes with US$100,000 and a recording contract — plus, Rubin made show history by becoming the youngest male winner ever. (Brynn Cartelli was just a few weeks younger when she won season 14.) Rubin's victory also gave Stefani her first coaching win.
Rubin seemed to have this one locked up last week in the semifinals after one especially moving performance. The coaches chose the tracks for their singers, and Stefani picked Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie.
Rubin dedicated it to his autistic older brother, Jack, whom he frequently talked about on the show.
After he delivered a pitch-perfect rendition of the quiet ballad, Stefani was sobbing.
Stefani had lobbied hard to become Rubin's coach. During his blind audition episode, she and John Legend were the only two coaches to spin around when they heard his voice. They were both shocked to see the teenager, 14 at the time. Stefani later admitted she thought he sounded like a 50-year-old woman.
As the mom of a 14-year-old boy, Stefani said she could serve as both a musical mentor and a maternal figure. Rubin sailed through the early rounds and it soon became clear no one stood a chance against his powerhouse voice.
It also helped that he had a delightful personality, joking and easily chatting with the adults around him. He also spoke candidly of being bullied in school and why it meant so much for him to be on the show.