Jamal Roberts was named the Season 23 American Idol Sunday night. (ABC Photo)
The third time was the charm for Jamal Roberts.
He’d auditioned for American Idol twice previously.
Once, he was told he was too young. Once, producers asked him to sing a second song, and he wasn’t prepared to.
You might says attempt number three went much better.
Because Sunday night, Jamal Roberts was standing center stage on American Idol, enjoying the confetti shower that comes with winning the show.
Jamal, 27, from Meridian, Mississippi, beat out country artist John Foster, who finished second, and Breanna Nix, who finished third and was eliminated part way through Sunday’s show.
In the process, Jamal became the first Black male to win American Idol since Ruben Studdard captured the Season 2 crown 22 years ago.
In spite of his previous Idol rejections, Jamal entered Season 23 with considerable singing show experience.
He’d auditioned for BET’s Sunday Best gospel competition in 2019, made the show, but was eliminated at the Top 20.
Wanting to show young daughter Harmoni that you don’t have to take “no” for an answer, he returned the next season at age 22 and made the Top 3.
He released his only single to date — “He’s Preparing Me” — after his run on the show.
Jamal has credited his grandparents for recognizing and nurturing his singing talent.
Prior to Idol, Jamal was working as a physical education teacher at Crestwood Elementary School in Meridian.
Sunday’s episode featured a clip of Jamal returning to the school during his Idol homecoming on Wednesday.
In an adorable video about his audition, one of his students proclaims he’s “better than Usher, better than Mariah Carey, better than everybody.”
Usher? Mariah Carey? Those might still be up for debate.
But American Idol fans clearly agreed he was the show’s best in Season 23.
Jamal Roberts with Ryan Seacrest and Jelly Roll after a performance on Sunday’s American Idol season finale. (ABC Photo)
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