The Truth About The Voice Champion Carter Rubin

Carter Rubin made history in December 2020 as one of the youngest contestants to ever win The Voice on NBC. At just 15 years old, he tied with Brynn Cartelli as the youngest winner in the show's 19 season run. Rubin's win marked another first as well: the first win for coach Gwen Stefani.To clinch his victory, Rubin defeated the other finalists, John Holiday, Desz, Ian Flanigan, and Jim Roger. For his final number, Rubin performed an original song, "Up from Here." 

Rubin was in disbelief when he won. Hours after the finale aired, he posted a candid photo to his Instagram page, taken seconds after he learned he'd won. The caption read, "words will come later. But all I can say is thank you." Stefani, as his mentor, was delighted at the news, "I'm just so proud of you," she said. "To be 15 years old and so incredibly calm and cool and in the moment, I'm so proud of you ... I can't wait to see what happens after this show," per People. 

So, how did Rubin get here? Of course, as the winner of The Voice, he's no ordinary teenager. If you asked Rubin, he'd tell you that his journey to stardom wasn't easy, but singing is in his DNA.

Early on in his season of The Voice, Carter Rubin opened up about what inspired him to pursue a singing career. The answer? His family. Rubin learned to sing from his grandfather, who was a professional guitarist and backup singer. Music played a more important role in Rubin's life than just a means to bond with family, though. Rubin's family operates a foundation called Families in Arms, which provides families of children with autism trips to amusement parks, per People. The family band often performs at fundraisers, so taking the stage at The Voice wasn't exactly a new experience for Rubin — except for the millions of viewers and celebrity judges, of course.

They were inspired to start the foundation because Rubin's little brother has autism. "My brother, Jack, and a lot of people on the autism spectrum see things a little differently than many of us," Rubin explained early on the show (via People). "We all just want love and respect... I thank my brother for teaching me those lessons."

Rubin's brother had such a significant impact on him that he dedicated his semifinal song, "Rainbow Connection," to him, and the performance brought Gwen Stefani to tears, per Entertainment Tonight. "I dedicated this song to my brother, who's on the autism spectrum, because the song kind of reminds me of innocence, and just believing, and that's the way he lives," he said. With a big voice and a bigger heart, we could be hearing the name Carter Rubin for years to come.