College sophomore Aiden Ross stopped the entire room on the December 8 Playoffs episode of The Voice, delivering a powerful and emotional version of Damien Rice’s “The Blower’s Daughter.” His voice soared higher than ever, bringing Coach Niall Horan to the edge of tears and earning one of the loudest applause breaks of the night.

As Season 28 heads into its final choices, Aiden’s performance instantly became one of the most talked-about moments, standing alongside Rob Cole’s emotional “I Hope You Dance,” which moved Reba McEntire to tears earlier in the season. Only two Artists from Teams Snoop Dogg and Niall Horan will be sent straight to the Live Finale, and the remaining six — including Aiden — will depend on fan votes to claim the final spot.

But long before he took the Playoffs stage, Aiden was already a standout.

Aiden Ross: The 20-Year-Old College Singer Taking Over the Season

He’s been singing since high school, getting his start on his family’s farm in College Station, Texas.

At A&M Consolidated High School, he sang with the acapella group A-Side, placing third in a major competition and winning Best Soloist for “Everything I Did to Get to You.”

He’s now a 20-year-old industrial engineering student at Texas A&M University, balancing school with a fast-growing music career.

He released his debut single “Everything and More” before joining the show, aiming to write music that “captures real feelings in simple, relatable ways.”

On The Voice stage, all of that experience finally came together.

Aiden’s soft falsetto, clean storytelling, and emotional control brought new depth to Damien Rice’s classic — a song known for its quiet intensity. The crowd rose to their feet, and even Niall had to wipe his eyes.

Fans React

Viewers quickly filled social media with emotional reactions. Many praised how effortless his performance felt, calling him “the voice” of the night. Others loved that he didn’t need to shout to make an impact, saying he was a true storyteller.

Longtime fans of Damien Rice’s original shared that they had listened to the song for years and were moved by Aiden’s version, while new listeners admitted it made them cry even though they’d never heard it before.

Many said he has been their number one since day one, describing him as “unreal,” “amazing,” and “pure talent,” with several calling him the winner of the entire season. A few viewers even stopped what they were doing because his voice grabbed their attention instantly, noting that his performance gave them chills and felt like absolute perfection.

From longtime fans of the original Damien Rice version to new viewers discovering the song for the first time, Aiden’s performance hit everyone the same way — deeply.

As the final votes open and America decides who will claim the last spot in the Live Finale, one thing is clear: Aiden Ross has become one of the brightest voices of Season 28.

How to vote for the last Voice Season 28 Finalist

Voting for the final member of the Top 6 will open at the end of tonight’s episode on December 8 and close at 7 a.m. ET on December 9. You can vote once (and for one Artist only, per registered email address), though you can change your vote until the portal closes.

Who won the Mic Drop competition on The Voice?

Next, host Carson Daily revealed the winner of the Mic Drop competition. The four artists selected by their coaches were Team Reba: Aaron Nichols, Team Bublé: Max Chambers Team Niall: DEK of Hearts, and Team Snoop: YOSHIHANAA. The winner was DEK of Hearts, who will now perform live at The Rose Parade Presented by Honda, on Jan. 1, 2026.

Who are the finalists from Team Snoop and Team Niall?

Snoop selected Ralph Edwards.

He said, “Ralph’s got an incredible voice and I feel he’s strong enough to deal with anybody from the other three teams.

Then Niall chose Aiden Ross as his finalist.

He said, “I think Aidan is the perfect person to represent Team Niall. He is comfortable in his own voice. That this guy is 20 years old and has that talent, it’s frightening.”

The Voice airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on Peacock.