He did it. Aiden Ross actually pulled it off. If you were watching NBC on December 16, you saw the confetti rain down as Carson Daly announced the winner of The Voice Season 28. It was a wild night. Honestly, it was one of those finales where you kinda knew who was going to take it, but you were still holding your breath anyway.
Aiden Ross is officially the new champion. The 20-year-old from College Station, Texas, gave Team Niall another trophy for the shelf. This win is actually a huge deal for Niall Horan because it makes him three-for-three. Every single time that guy has sat in a coach’s chair, his artist has won. It’s a perfect record that’s honestly starting to look a little bit like a dynasty.
But here’s the thing: Aiden wasn’t just another "good singer." He was a four-chair turn from the very beginning. From the second he opened his mouth in the Blind Auditions, you could tell he had that specific something that works on this show. He’s an engineering student at Texas A&M—industrial distribution, specifically—but he’s been singing since he was four on his family’s strawberry farm.
The Performance That Sealed the Deal
Most people think these shows are won in the finale. They aren't. They're won in the weeks leading up to it, but the finale is where you have to not mess up. Aiden didn't just "not mess up." He went for the throat with two massive songs.
First, he took on JVKE’s "Golden Hour." That’s a risky choice. It’s a song that requires a lot of technical precision and a certain kind of vulnerability that’s hard to fake. Niall Horan was visibly emotional, telling Aiden he always finds the "heartbeat" in a song.
Then, he did the unthinkable: ABBA. He sang "The Winner Takes It All."
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You don't just "cover" ABBA on national television unless you have some serious lungs. It was theatrical, it was emotional, and it basically ended the competition right then and there. Ralph Edwards (Team Snoop) and DEK of Hearts (Team Niall) were incredible, don't get me wrong. Ralph’s version of Foreigner’s "I Want to Know What Love Is" was a moment. But Aiden had the momentum.
Why the Final Standings Surprised Fans
The way the leaderboard shook out was a bit of a rollercoaster. We ended up with a Top 6 instead of the usual Top 5, thanks to some late-season twists.
- Aiden Ross (Team Niall) – 1st Place
- Ralph Edwards (Team Snoop) – Runner-up
- DEK of Hearts (Team Niall) – 3rd Place
- Aubrey Nicole (Team Reba) – 4th Place
- Max Chambers (Team Bublé) – 5th Place
- Jazz McKenzie (Team Bublé) – 6th Place
Seeing Snoop Dogg get a runner-up with Ralph was cool. Snoop has been such a surprisingly great addition to the panel. He’s got this "cool uncle" vibe that clearly helps his artists relax. But having two Team Niall artists in the top three? That shows just how much the "Nialler" fanbase shows up to vote.
What Most People Get Wrong About Aiden’s Journey
There’s this misconception that Aiden was an overnight success. He wasn't. He actually applied for The Voice during his senior year of high school and didn't even make it past the early rounds. He talked about this with The Battalion (A&M’s student paper), explaining how that rejection actually fueled him to get better.
He’s a sophomore engineering student. That’s a heavy major. Most kids are struggling to pass thermo-dynamics, and he’s out here winning a national singing competition. He even went back to College Station just days after his win to work a shift at Raising Cane’s.
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It’s that "normal kid" energy that makes people vote. He’s talented, sure. But he’s also the guy who grew up playing guitar because his dad got tired of playing it and told him it was his turn in the 7th grade. That’s a real story. People feel that.
The Michael Bublé Factor
We have to talk about Michael Bublé for a second. He didn't win this season, but he was coming off a massive winning streak. He won Season 26 with Sofronio Vasquez and Season 27 with Adam David. Bublé was going for a three-peat.
He had Jazz McKenzie and Max Chambers in the finale, but they just couldn't quite catch the Aiden Ross wave. Bublé even said during the show that this was his last time in the chair for a bit. He’s leaving the show, which is a bummer because his chemistry with Snoop and Niall was actually hilarious.
What Happens Now?
Winning The Voice is a bit of a double-edged sword. You get the $100,000 and the record deal with Universal Music Group, but the "Voice Curse" is a real thing. Very few winners actually become household names.
Aiden seems to have a different plan, though. He’s already said he wants to finish his degree at Texas A&M while pursuing music. That’s smart. If the music thing "sparks," he’ll fan the flame, but he’s keeping his options open. He’s already been seen performing around the Bryan-College Station area, and his social media following has exploded.
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If you’re looking to follow his career, keep an eye on his original songwriting. He wrote his first song at seven years old. He’s not just a "karaoke" singer; he’s a musician.
Next Steps for Fans
If you missed the finale, you can still catch the performances on Peacock. It's worth it just to see the duets. Reba and Aubrey Nicole doing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" was festive, but the Zac Brown and Noah Cyrus performance of "Butterfly" was the vocal highlight of the guest stars.
Looking ahead, Season 29 is going to be a "Battle of the Champions" style setup. Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend are all rumored to be returning. It’s going to be a very different look for the show, but after Aiden’s win, the bar is set incredibly high.
If you want to support Aiden, the best thing to do is stream his finale covers of "Golden Hour" and "The Winner Takes It All." Those numbers matter to the label. Also, if you’re ever in College Station, keep an eye out at the local Raising Cane’s—you might just see a champion working the drive-thru.