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    30 seconds onstage — but a lifetime behind the meaning. Dancing with the Stars winner Kyle Shilling has finally opened up about the story that fueled his emotional final performance. Calling it “very special,” Kyle revealed it was a tribute to his late grandmother, who raised him and believed in his dream when no one else did. With every step, he honored the strength and love she gave him — and now fans say they’ll never forget the way he danced that night.

    Kyle Shilling Wins Dancing with the Stars 2025 with Powerful Indigenous-Inspired Finale

    Kyle Shilling has been crowned the winner of Dancing with the Stars 2025 after delivering a moving finale performance alongside partner Lily Cornish that celebrated Indigenous culture.

    A proud Widjabul man from the Bundjalung Nation, the Home and Away actor opened the performance by playing the didgeridoo before joining Lily for a freestyle dance to Native Tongue by Mo’ju. The piece symbolized the relationship between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians.

    “There is a lot of disconnect between First Nations and non-Indigenous people,” Shilling told Chattr. “I was lucky to grow up in a beautiful family of both and saw what it could—and should—be.”

    In the performance, Kyle represented earth, while Lily embodied water. “Earth and water sustain each other, just like people,” he explained. “If someone is struggling, you help them—that’s how we survive. The dance showed the beautiful connection of what our communities could be.”

    Shilling said it was “very special” to express pride and belonging through the dance’s visuals, movement, and music. He credited Lily for collaborating with him to blend his traditional and contemporary influences with her ballroom and Latin expertise.

    The didgeridoo segment was Lily’s idea from the moment she learned Kyle played the instrument. “I didn’t even hesitate,” Shilling recalled. “I said, ‘Yes, we’re doing it.’”

    Their performance struck a perfect balance of cultural storytelling and technical skill—earning them the DWTS trophy and a place in the show’s history.

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