Spoiler alert! This story discusses the final performances of The Voice Season 28, which aired December 15 and can be streamed with a Peacock subscription.
The Voice went live for the first time in Season 28, opening the finale on a somber note, as Carson Daly gathered Reba McEntire, Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé and Niall Horan to send their love after Rob Reiner’s death and several other recent tragedies. They invited viewers to come together through the power of music, and what followed certainly was a special night. The six finalists each performed two songs in hopes of earning votes to be crowned the winner Tuesday. So, based on these finale performances, who do I think should take the prize?
Before the competition kicked off, there was some business to attend to. Carson Daly announced the results of America’s wildcard vote, revealing that Max Chambers from Team Bublé and DEK of Hearts from Team Niall would be competing alongside the four artists previously announced by The Voice coaches.
Let’s take a look at how everyone performed on the live stage, and then I’ll share who I think should be crowned The Voice Season 28 champion. (Artists are listed in order of their first performance.)
DEK Of Hearts (Team Niall)
Mic Drop winners DEK of Hearts — aka Dylan John, Emily Clapp and Kollin Bailey — took the stage first with “Fishin’ in the Dark” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The harmonies are easily the trio’s strength, and coach Niall Horan pointed out how consistently perfect their voices are when they come together.
Ahead of their contemporary choice — “Let It Go” by James Bay — a live TV hiccup caused a noticeable delay in the start of the performance. The artists seemed to be waiting on their cue, and Carson Daly looked ready to step in, when he was literally shooed away as someone off-camera yelled, “We’re good, we’re good!” All of the coaches praised the trio for maintaining their composure and then delivering another lovely three-part harmony.
Max Chambers (Team Bublé)
With Max Chambers’ experience on Broadway, it’s no surprise that he handled live TV like a pro. His contemporary song — “Your Way’s Better” by Forrest Frank — was a great choice for the 14-year-old, in my opinion, and Michael Bublé commended him for being bold enough to be so open about his faith.
Michael Bublé was in tears for most of the evening, as it must have been sinking in that his time on The Voice is coming to an end (Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and John Legend have already been announced as the coaches for a revamped Season 29 coming to the 2026 TV schedule). Having the teenager tackle Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” definitely didn’t make things less emotional. Bublé said we are all blessed to be witnessing the birth of a star.
Aubrey Nicole (Team Reba)
Reba McEntire brought a country music artist to the finale, and while that might not be a surprise, it’s pretty impressive that Aubrey Nicole was the only one-chair turn in the top 6. She started with a cover of Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t,” and it sounded to me like she was a tad nervous. She settled into it, though, and ended up hitting some big notes at the end.
For her classic song the artist paid homage to her coach with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” That’s a pretty gutsy move — and not the finale song I’d expect — but she did it justice, adding some runs and a fair amount of sass. Reba McEntire was all smiles when it was over, saying Aubrey Nicole had “knocked it out of the park.”
Jazz McKenzie (Team Bublé)
Now, if you want to talk about a finale song, I present Jazz McKenzie’s “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins. It was hard to believe this performance came in the first half of the finale, because as the sparks fell from the rafters, I could have been fooled into thinking she’d just won the whole thing.
For her contemporary number, she put a spin on Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” making it less moody but more soulful. Snoop Dogg was straight-up sobbing at the end of it, and he thanked her for touching his heart. Michael Bublé, whose eyes rarely got the chance to dry during the two-hour show, said she’s about to become a star.
Aiden Ross (Team Niall)
Niall Horan was fighting an illness on Monday night, with Carson Daly saying they weren’t even sure he’d make it to the show. (They’ve already nixed his performances with his team members on Tuesday’s results show, as he’s on vocal rest.) But I don’t think his health was on his mind when Aiden Ross sang Jvke’s “Golden Hour.” Horan’s mouth was wide open, and he said he didn’t know if he should laugh or cry.
That didn’t change when the artist closed out the show with what he called a “cinematic” version of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All.” The performance was absolutely finale-worthy, and Niall Horan said you could feel the energy in the room.
Ralph Edwards (Team Snoop)
Ralph Edwards really brought it to The Voice Season 28 finale. We were reminded that the 30-year-old had tried to get on the show 11 times before but never made it to the Blind Auditions — until he turned all four chairs this season. He left it all on the stage with a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Snoop Dogg was rendered speechless, simply writing in his notebook, “And the winner is …”
The rapper was fired up again following Ralph Edwards’ second song, “Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars. Snoop Dogg called him the complete package, as he’d added choreography to an already-fantastic vocal performance. He praised the artist for his resilience and said he’s proof that you can never give up on your dream.
Who Do I Think Should Win The Voice Season 28? Aiden Ross
On The Voice Season 28 premiere back in September, Aiden Ross’ audition was the very first one aired, and when he turned all four coaches’ chairs, I literally wrote in my notes, “Honestly could be the winner.” I’m standing by that prediction following his two ridiculous performances, because while several other singers have wowed me this season, there hasn’t been one time that Ross has taken the stage that I haven’t repeated my initial impression of him.
I think we’ve witnessed a season of phenomenal talent, and I don’t think there’s an artist amongst these six who I’d be mad to see win. You can do your part though, with voting open until 7 a.m. ET Tuesday. There are two methods available — The Voice Official App and at NBC.com/VoiceVote, with one vote allowed per email address, per voting method.
Then tune in at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, December 16, on NBC for a night of special performances and ultimately, the Season 28 winner being crowned.
