Aiden Ross can officially add himself to the list of singers who have won The Voice. After being crowned the champion of Season 28 during the December 16 finale, the college student is now looking forward to taking his music career to the next level.

For Ross, exhaustion was a small price to pay for a run that quickly marked him as a frontrunner. The Texas A&M sophomore earned a four-chair turn for his blind audition of Adele’s “Love in the Dark” and went on to flourish under coach Niall Horan, whose guidance helped shape his story-driven approach.

Season 28 champion reflects on his full-circle journey from opening the Blinds to taking the crown, why Niall Horan was ultimately the right fit, and how he’s manifesting a future duet with Lizzy McAlpine.