Season 22 of The Voice has a new winner! Bryce Leatherwood won during the show’s finale, marking Blake Shelton, Leatherwood’s coach, his ninth win on the reality TV talent show.

Ahead of hearing the finale results, Leatherwood shared what he had learned since his first audition on The Voice.

“Well, I think the biggest lesson I’m going to take away from being coached by the Blake Shelton is be myself,” Leatherwood shared. “Be yourself and be who you are. Number two, have fun, man. We’re all here, and this is the greatest experience I’ve had in my life.”

Shelton also praised Leatherwood, predicting his success in country music, with or without a win.

“You already made it, man,” Shelton told Leatherwood ahead of his win. “You literally already made it. I know my genre, and I know the country music fans out there. You’ve got a career ahead of you, dude. Congratulations already.”

After Leatherwood was declared the winner, the 22-year-old tried to articulate his feelings about the unforgettable experience.

“It’s just so humbling to know that people love Bryce Leatherwood,” Leatherwood told People. “People love what I stand for. People love my music and how I sang. It took me by surprise that America chose me. I just think my goal in life is to make people happy, and America made me happy today. I’m very excited to be The Voice champion of season 22.”

Shelton compared the early years of his career to how Leatherwood’s career is beginning.

“I see a lot of myself in Bryce,” Shelton said. “I guess the thing that I can relate to is it’s still all out in front of him right now, and who knows where this thing is going to go for him? When I think of myself at that age, I was hoping someday I would just hear myself on the radio. At that time, all my heroes were on the radio, and if I could just hear myself on the radio, mission accomplished. He’s about to enter into a completely different jungle than I experienced, but he’s going to do great.”

“Bryce knows what he wants and what he wants to do — he’s already doing it,” he added. “I think 22-year-old Blake was still a little bit of a mess, but everything works out how it should.”

Brayden Lape, on Shelton’s team, earned the fifth spot, while Omar Jose Cardona, on John Legend’s team, came in fourth. Bodie, also on Shelton’s team, and Morgan Myles, on Camila Cabello’s team, were in the Top 3 with Leatherwood.