The Voice Crowns Season 28 Winner

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A new voice has emerged victorious. 

Aiden Ross, coached by Niall Horan, won the 28th season of The Voice, making Niall a part of the show’s legacy. Niall is now the only coach who has won every season he’s been on, with victories in his first three seasons.

During the show, Niall told Aiden, ‘You’re a genuinely kind and talented person, and I really hope things go well for you.’

Aiden shared that his mentor taught him a valuable lesson this season: to find joy and gratitude in what he does. “Love you, man,” he added.

Oh my gosh, Aiden totally blew everyone away! He even won over Ralph Edwards from Snoop Dogg’s team – can you believe it?! They were the top two after both parts of the finale! It was so close, though – Aubrey Nicole from Reba McEntire’s team was amazing, and Jazz McKenzie and Max Chambers from Michael Bublé’s team were incredible too. Don’t forget Dek of Hearts from Team Niall, they were fantastic as well, but Aiden and Ralph just shone the brightest!

Aiden’s performances during the finale that secured his win included JVKE’s “Golden Hour” and, fittingly, ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All.” He also shared the stage with season 23 winner Gina Miles, performing a duet of “Last Christmas” with her.

Following the Dec. 16 finale, Aiden took a moment to reflect on his life-changing win. 

He shared on Instagram that he was overwhelmed with emotion, expressing deep gratitude for the incredible experience. He said performing this season of The Voice was the best time of his life and he was incredibly honored to win Season 28. He also mentioned he’d grown a lot both personally and as an artist, made lifelong friends, and learned from top professionals in the music industry.

He hinted at even bigger things ahead, now that he’s signed a record deal with Universal Music Group and won a significant cash prize. He finished by saying, “Thank you for being a part of my journey. This is only the start!”

Niall was also thrilled with his team’s victory, sharing his excitement on Instagram and praising @aidenrossmusic.

For a closer look at how The Voice is brought to life, read on. 

The winner of The Voice receives a recording contract with Universal Music Group, though the exact financial details aren’t publicly disclosed.

Okay, so everyone says the winner doesn’t officially get a stated prize, but seriously, all the insiders whisper it’s a cool $100,000! I’ve been following this show forever and that’s the number I keep hearing. It’s not confirmed by the network, of course, but I know it’s true! It has to be!

Previous winners of the show have confirmed they receive prize money. For example, Todd Tilghman, the winner of season 18, told People magazine in 2020 that the winnings would help cover his expenses for a while, and he wasn’t planning any major life changes right away.

He also mentioned that, because he’d promised his children a Disney World vacation, he’d probably go ahead and spend the money on that as well.

Not that the value of the music opportunities that open up for the winners should be discounted.

Adam David, winner of season 27, told Parade in May 2025 that he has a collection of songs and wants to work with his songwriter friends. He plans to release music and then go on tour. “We’re going to put out some music, and we’re going to hit the road,” he said.

Oh my gosh, The Voice is amazing at finding talent! It’s not just about reaching out to incredible singers like Frenchie Davis – they actually found her years after she was on American Idol! Usually, they’d travel all over the country holding live auditions, but now it’s all online! The judges are sifting through tons of video submissions, and if you’re lucky, really lucky, you might get a chance to sing for them. It’s so exciting, but you have to be amazing to get one of the coaches to turn their chair! I’m constantly checking for updates and hoping to see the next big star discovered!

To audition, participants need to be 13 years or older. Each contestant has 90 seconds to introduce themselves and perform a song. While they can choose any song, the show recommends selecting one that showcases their voice and personality as a musician.

According to executive producer Audrey Morrissey, judges spend five to six days listening to auditions, typically seeing around 18 to 20 performers each day. Once a contestant is chosen for the blind auditions, they spend several days rehearsing with the show’s band, getting styled, and practicing their stage performance before their audition.

The show also involves filming introductory packages for the contestants and their families, which came as a surprise to Ddendyl Hoyt, a former contestant from season six. She explained to the Washington Post in 2014 that she didn’t realize reality TV was filmed in a way similar to a dramatic series. “Everything is shot in separate segments, and that’s actually the most time-consuming part of the whole process,” she said.

Okay, so here’s the deal – if you don’t get past the initial auditions, or even if you do get a chair turn but don’t make it onto a team, it’s not over! You can try out again, and again, and again! Seriously, as many times as you want, but only once per season. I’ve already planned my strategy for next season, obviously. It’s just… the possibilities are endless!

In a 2023 interview with Newsweek, coach Reba McEntire, who previously coached Asher HaVon to victory on season 25, explained she doesn’t like to be overly critical. She prefers to offer constructive feedback, like suggesting contestants try again next season with a song that better fits their voice and showcases their strengths, and to encourage them to keep improving.

Starting with season 28, contestants can also play the “Carson Callback” card. This allows host Carson Daly to give a second chance to an artist who didn’t receive any chair turns.

The show’s costume team works hard to dress the contestants in stylish outfits, but only after they’ve been chosen for a team.

We carefully select outfits for each artist,” Morrissey explained to SheKnows. “Then, for each live performance, those looks are tailored to fit the specific show.

The celebrity coaches aren’t working around the clock, but they’re dedicated to preparing their teams for the battle rounds and the rest of the competition.

According to Morrissey, the coaching lasts for four days, while the competitions themselves run for two.

The level of involvement a coach has with each artist varies, she explained. Some coaches enjoy being heavily involved in all aspects of the performance, meticulously planning every detail. Others prefer to concentrate on the musical side – the song itself and how it’s arranged.

Morrissey also noted that some coaches prefer to communicate by text message, while others use email. He explained that all communication between coaches and artists increases as the competition progresses and more is at stake.

Former contestant Hoyt explained to the Post that the show doesn’t reveal the amount of guidance contestants receive. He said, “You get notes and coaching from everyone involved – the vocal coaches, the band director, even the producers.”

In a September 2025 interview with Access Hollywood, Snoop Dogg highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of the crews who work behind the scenes. He explained that many people work tirelessly to make events run smoothly, allowing performers like himself to simply focus on their performance on stage.

Between coaches and artists, Morrissey said, “The No. 1 communication is about song choice.”

Artists can share their opinions on which songs to perform, but ultimately the coaches usually make the final decision.

Frenchie, a contestant from the first season who was coached by Christina Aguilera, told Cosmopolitan in 2021 that it was funny when the judges criticized a song choice, because they were the ones who had approved it in the first place.

However, season 24 winner Huntley praised his coach, Niall Horan, for guiding him, telling NBC Insider that the former One Direction member “has a great ear for choosing songs.”

As a longtime fan, I’ve noticed how each coach has a really unique way of connecting with the artists. Some are constantly texting, while others prefer email. But what’s fascinating is how much more they reach out as the competition heats up – it’s clear the stakes are really getting to them! And honestly, a huge part of what they talk about is always the song choices – it’s so crucial to their strategy and performance.

Before the show begins, potential contestants are evaluated to make sure they can handle the stress. Throughout the competition, and even after it ends, mental health experts are available to support the artists.

Former contestant Kat Perkins explained to Cosmopolitan that the show’s counselors would check in on contestants’ mental health immediately after elimination. As soon as someone left the stage, they’d go to a debriefing with a psychiatrist to discuss their experience. Perkins emphasized how important this was, saying that the show is a uniquely intense experience, potentially traumatic, and contestants aren’t emotionally prepared for something so challenging.

The show’s coaches are experts in spotting talent, and their iconic red chairs have changed over time. They can still spin around with the touch of a button! In 2018, the chairs got a high-tech update, adding three new buttons. These let each coach block another coach, once per round, preventing them from recruiting a particular singer.

These chairs are as comfortable as a luxury car seat! They feature a sturdy aluminum frame, a sleek paint job, and even self-adjusting heaters – Snoop Dogg joked they’re the best at keeping you warm. Plus, at the request of former coach Blake Shelton, each chair has two cupholders.

Perkins says the impressive ‘whoosh’ sound you hear when the chairs swivel on the show isn’t actually recorded during filming – it’s added later in editing.

“You almost don’t notice it,” she told Cosmo, “especially when you’re focusing and singing to the crowd that’s in the studio.”

Friendly banter between the coaches has always been a part of what makes the show fun, but over the 16 seasons Blake Shelton and Adam Levine worked together on The Voice, it wasn’t always clear if their playful annoyance with each other was genuine or just for show.

Blake described their relationship as intense and complicated, telling The Tennessean in 2017 that they often argue and get frustrated with each other. He explained they share a deep, almost inexplicable connection, like those two people everyone knew in high school, which brings out both their best and worst qualities. He characterized it as a fiery relationship, adding that he knows exactly how to provoke his counterpart.

Translation: “He’s one of the best friends that I have, but I still want to kill him sometimes.”

And even though they haven’t competed against each other since 2019, Adam knows what the fans want.

The original coach shared a photo from the after-party for the first season of ‘The Voice,’ jokingly tagging Blake Shelton. He posted it while looking forward to returning for season 27 in February 2025.

These days, coaches are much less likely to publicly share each other’s personal contact information.

Niall explained in an interview with NBC that he was worried their on-screen chemistry wouldn’t feel genuine. He said he didn’t want their connection to seem fake or overly enthusiastic just for the cameras – like they were putting on a show for Snoop Dogg. He admitted he was initially nervous about doing the show, but thankfully, their relationship felt natural and not forced at all.

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2025-12-17 16:50