College Station got a little louder on January 13, and not just because the spring semester is officially underway. “The Voice” Season 28 champion Aiden Ross, a College Station native and Texas A&M engineering student, returned home for a fan-filled morning at Raising Cane’s in College Station, where he worked a full-on, fan-facing “shift” to celebrate his historic win. With The Blast in attendance, Aiden Ross turned an ordinary chicken-finger run into a full-scale homecoming moment, greeting students, Caniacs, and longtime supporters who packed the restaurant to catch a glimpse of their hometown star.

During his shift, the newly crowned champion worked the front counter and drive-thru, signed autographs and merchandise, took selfies with fans, pumped Cane’s Sauce, buttered Texas Toast, bagged Box Combos, and served Chicken Fingers while the crowd cheered him on.

After weeks of filming in Los Angeles, the return to College Station clearly hit different. “It’s so nice to just finally have some familiarity again,” Ross said during the press conference. “Now we’re here at Cane’s, my favorite chicken finger place in the world. I was just excited to [have] some chicken.”

Ross also explained why coming back and showing face in the community mattered so much, especially after a win this big. “I, for sure, owe it to everybody,” he said. “The way everybody has shown up… the way College Station has shown up, the way A&M has shown up, has just been incredible.”

That support, he added, is something he doesn’t take lightly, and it’s fueling what comes next.

Even with a national title under his belt, Ross made it clear he hasn’t suddenly forgotten who he is, or the path he was originally on. “I went to A&M. I mean, I’m still at A&M to be an engineering student,” he said, explaining that staying in school is still important to him because he genuinely loves learning.

But right now, his focus is locked in on music, and on honoring everyone who got him to this point. “At the end of the day, what I’m focused on right now is being able to give everything I have,” Ross added. “I think I owe that to the people who voted for me, the people that believed in me.”

When asked what fans can look forward to now that he’s officially the Season 28 champ, Ross teased, “They can look forward to a lot of content and a lot of new music coming soon.”

He also reflected on how surreal it’s been to go from watching the show as a kid to actually winning it and then coming home to experience it all with the people who’ve been in his corner since day one.

“My family and I, we’ve watched the show since season one,” Ross shared. “I think I was six years old when I first started… To finally be on the other side of the screen… it’s such a crazy experience.”

Ross also opened up about his relationship with coach Niall Horan, calling him a “big brother figure” and sharing the advice he’s holding onto now that the confetti has settled. “One thing he always tells me is… enjoy this for what it is,” Ross said. “Don’t rush through this process… you’re gonna look back on this and be like, ‘Wow, what an incredible time this was.’”

And if he could send a message back to his younger self, the kid who watched “The Voice” from the couch? “I would literally just say, ‘We did it, bro,’” Ross said. “To have been on the show, to have won the show, is such a full-circle moment for me.”

Ross’ music journey started long before primetime television, and he pointed back to his early days performing locally, including First Friday in College Station, as a foundational moment. “I remember singing at First Friday for the first time… in sixth grade,” he said. “There was like nobody on the street… but my family was there… that was like the most important thing to me.”