Fifteen contestants took the stage at the Memorial Union Thursday night to showcase their singing at Cyclone Voice.

The annual singing competition boasted a celebrity host and the talent Iowa State has to offer, but at the end of the night, only one was crowned victorious.

This year’s host for Cyclone Voice was Mason Ramsey, the 12-year-old country singer who became an overnight viral sensation in 2018. Ramsey showcased his witty personality as he announced the contestants. Applause accompanied him upon each return to stage.

“Yeah, I’m definitely going to be staying away from [Emma Heyen],” said Ramsey as he read off the contestants fun fact: she enjoys throwing knives.

Though the young musician didn’t know how to pronounce “aerospace,” his charm was infectious the whole night.

While the couches deliberated, Mason Ramsey treated the audience to a mini concert. He performed new songs such as “Twang” as well as long classics like his original “Famous” and “Lovesick Blues.”

The year of fame made him comfortable strutting around the stage, dancing and delivering witty remarks. His audience interaction and presence kept everyone entertained the whole way through.

At the end of the judge’s deliberation, Anderson Coates took home the first place prize, with Antonia McGill and Konrad Powell tying for second, followed by Collin Hillinger in third. 

Contestants in order of performance:

Connor Nolan | “My Way,” Frank Sinatra: His smooth baritone voice lent itself to this iconic song and moved around the stage as Sinatra would have. 

Alli Weaver | “Yellow Eyes,” Rayland Baxter: Her guitar was a good addition to the song, but she seemed a bit distracted by getting the notes right. “Yellow Eyes” matched the style and tone of her voice very well.

John Hoelzer | “Valerie,” Amy Winehouse: “What’s good, Iowa State?” Hoelzer said as he took the stage. He surprised the audience when he came out with high energy and a great falsetto range. 

Antonia McGill | “I’ll Always Remember Us This Way,” Lady Gaga: Her voice was so powerful that everyone in the audience felt her emotion. The cheer from the audience said it all, with a solo that would make Lady Gaga proud.

Krishna Rangarajan | “That Girl,” Justin Timberlake: He came out with swag and left with swag. His vocal runs were clean and crisp, the audience could understand every word even during the faster potions of the song. Rangarajan delivered a nice head bobbing worthy performance.

Kennedy Plowman | “When You Say Nothing At All,” Alison Kraus: Plowman had a nice, soft soprano voice, and and chose the song to highlight it. She had a crazy amount of control over her voice, especially during long sustains. Plowman ended her performance with a nice touch, walking walked out with the accompaniment track still playing.

Nicholas Yeo | “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Queen: Yeo had energy coming out of every pore, with a vocal performance did not disappoint in the slightest. His air “guitar solo” was a hit, and the whole performance was a nice change of pace.

Collin Hillinger | “When I Was Your Man,” Bruno Mars: Hillinger’s rendition of this song was full of emotion, power, and sincerity, taking the already emotional song and making it his own as he sat at the piano. 

Dylan Ehlen | “Give Me One Reason,” Tracy Chapman: Ehlen’s voice was perfect for a rock song, using grit when necessary, and it added to his performance. The vocalist really knew how to work a crowd. 

Sam Fletcher | “Springsteen,” Eric Church: Fletcher pushed through nerves to deliver a solid performance on both guitar and vocals. While he was very soft and focused on the performance, the chorus of the song was when his voice was really able to be shown off. 

Emma Heyen | “Georgia,” Ray Charles: Heyen garnered cheers from the audience as she delivered a powerful rendition of this classic song. Her vocal range was off the charts as she hit both high and low notes with ease. Her belts and runs were controlled and smooth, perfect for a vocal jazz performance.

Konrad Powell | “All I Want,” Kodaline: Powell delivered a believable, emotional performance, understanding when the song required soft or powerful emotion, delivering on both masterfully. 

Brandon Thomas | “A Song for You,” Donny Hathaway: Thomas had a powerful voice and the stage presence this song required. He seemed comfortable when it came time to belt out the notes. The timing in this song is key, with long piano breaks and hidden entrances, and he nailed them all.

Raia Arbisi | “Stay,” Sugarland: Sometimes country voices have too much twang, but Arbisi was not one of those people. Her soprano voice was a perfect fit for this song. The audience could understand the message the song portrays, even at times when she seemed to get off from the music.

Anderson Coates | “Traveler,” Anderson Coates: Performing an original song is a risk, but Coats had nothing to worry about. His message, vocals and guitar playing were spot on, sounding like a studio recording of the song, understanding his voice and style just like an original artist should.