He stood there on the stage, looking like he’d just seen a ghost, while confetti cannons basically tried to bury him alive. It was December 16, 2025. Carson Daly had just shouted his name, and Aiden Ross—a 20-year-old kid from College Station—officially became the winner of The Voice 2025.
Honestly, if you watched Season 28, you probably saw it coming, but that didn't make the moment any less heavy. His coach, Niall Horan, was literally jumping out of his skin. With this win, Niall stayed undefeated. Three seasons, three trophies. It’s getting a little ridiculous at this point, right?
But while the internet is buzzing about Niall’s "Golden Touch," the real story is how a sophomore from Texas A&M went from singing to strawberries on a family farm to being the most talked-about artist in the country.
The Winner of The Voice 2025: Aiden Ross and the "Lovesick" Strategy
Most people think these reality shows are just about who can hit the highest note. They’re not. They’re about who can make you feel like your heart is being ripped out (in a good way).
Aiden Ross figured that out early. During his blind audition, he sang Adele’s "Love in the Dark." It was a four-chair turn within seconds. Niall told him back then that he had the "heartbeat of a song" in his pocket, and he wasn't kidding.
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Why the finale felt different
The two-part finale on NBC was a total gauntlet. Aiden was up against some serious heavy hitters:
- Ralph Edwards (Team Snoop Dogg), the runner-up who almost took the whole thing with his soulful grit.
- DEK of Hearts (Team Niall), who brought a weird, cool indie vibe that felt very "2026."
- Aubrey Nicole (Team Reba), the powerhouse country vocalist.
- Jazz McKenzie and Max Chambers (Team Bublé).
On Monday night, Aiden dropped a version of JVKE’s "Golden Hour" that basically broke the NBC app. Then he pivoted to ABBA’s "The Winner Takes It All." It was a gutsy move. Singing a song called "The Winner Takes It All" right before the vote is either total confidence or a massive jinx. For Aiden, it was the former.
What happened with Adam David earlier in the year?
It’s easy to get confused because 2025 was a massive year for the franchise. Before Aiden took the Season 28 crown in December, we had Season 27 in the spring.
That season ended in May 2025 with Adam David taking the win for Team Michael Bublé. Adam was a completely different beast—a 35-year-old blues-rocker from Florida who spent years performing at rehab centers. His win was a "second chance" story that resonated with a totally different demographic.
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So, technically, when people ask about the winner of The Voice 2025, they might be talking about the soulful grit of Adam David or the polished, ethereal pop of Aiden Ross. Both are valid. Both are champions. But Aiden is the one currently riding the wave into the new year.
The "Plucked from the Crowd" Phenomenon (Australia Edition)
If you’re reading this from Down Under, your 2025 winner was Alyssa Delpopolo. Talk about a movie script. She wasn't even supposed to be on the show. She was literally sitting in the audience during a filming break, started singing, and the coaches—Kate Miller-Heidke and Ronan Keating—stopped everything to get her on stage.
She won the Australian title in November 2025 after a massive rendition of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now." It's kinda wild that 2025 produced three winners—Aiden, Adam, and Alyssa—who all feel like they belong on completely different radio stations.
Why Aiden Ross actually won (The Nerd Stuff)
Aiden is an industrial distribution engineering student. You’d think that would make him too "analytical" for art, but it actually seemed to help his consistency. He never had a "bad" week.
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Niall Horan’s coaching style also played a huge role. He didn't try to turn Aiden into a pop star immediately. He let him stay "down-to-earth," which is exactly what Niall called him right before the results were read.
The social media factor
If you look at the numbers, Aiden’s performances were pulling millions of views on TikTok and Instagram before the live shows even started. By the time the finale rolled around, the "Aggie" fanbase from Texas A&M had mobilized. In a fan-voted show, having a massive university and a whole state like Texas behind you is basically a cheat code.
What’s next for the champions?
Aiden has already said he wants to finish his degree. It sounds crazy, right? You win a recording contract and $100,000, and you still want to go to engineering class? But he’s playing the long game. He told reporters he’s looking for "the spark" to fan into a flame.
Meanwhile, looking ahead to Season 29, the show is pivoting to a "Battle of the Champions" theme. We’re going to see Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend return. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the coaches.
Actionable Insights for Future Contestants
- Song choice is 90% of the battle. Aiden won because he chose songs that felt like they were written for him, even when they were ABBA covers.
- Vulnerability sells. Adam David’s honesty about his recovery journey created a bond with the audience that technical skill couldn't touch.
- Build your "home" base. Whether it's a small town in Texas or a niche community online, you need people who will vote for you every single week without fail.
If you’re trying to keep track of the music, keep an eye on Aiden’s Instagram. He’s already teasing original sketches that sound a lot more like his coach Niall’s folk-pop style than the big Adele ballads he started with. Whatever happens, the class of 2025 has been one of the strongest in the show's history.
Follow the official Voice YouTube channel to catch the "Winner's Journey" montages for both Aiden Ross and Adam David. If you're a musician yourself, the audition portal for the 2026 cycle is already accepting virtual submissions—just make sure your lighting is good and you pick a song that actually says something about who you are.