While fans and even judge Luke Bryan sensed Jamal Roberts was surging toward victory in the final weeks of American Idol Season 23, it turns out Breanna Nix saw it coming long before the rest of America did — all the way back in Hollywood Week.
According to Roberts himself, the 26-year-old worship leader from Georgia was the first to boldly proclaim that he would win the show. And she didn’t just say it — she recorded it.
“She told me, ‘You’re anointed. You’re going to win this,’” Roberts told TV Insider. “I’m looking at her, like, ‘Girl, hush! What are you talking about?’ But she stood on that, every performance.”
Breanna Nix: A Prophetic Moment in Hollywood Week
That memorable exchange took place in January, during the intense Hollywood Week tapings. Despite barely knowing Roberts at the time, Nix had a strong feeling he was destined for something big. She even pulled out her phone and recorded herself delivering the prediction to him.
On May 20, just two days after Roberts was crowned winner, Nix posted that video online — a touching full-circle moment and a testament to her heartfelt intuition.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Nix said:
“I didn’t even know him, I just felt it in my heart. I walked up to him and said, ‘Hey! I know you don’t know me, I’m Breanna … and you’re gonna win American Idol.’”
A Tearful Finale Moment
On finale night, the emotion between Roberts and Nix was evident. As Jamal sang his winner’s reprise of “Heal,” Nix held onto his arm, wiping away tears — a gesture that now resonates even more deeply knowing the belief she had in him from the beginning.
Even as the Top 3 — Roberts, Nix, and John Foster — stood side-by-side for the first voting result, Nix didn’t flinch in her conviction. According to Roberts:
“Breanna is just blunt. When I was standing up there with her (and Foster), she was like, ‘Well, I know I’m leaving. It’s going be between you and John and you’re going to win.’ I said, ‘Okay, Breanna.’”
A Bright Future for Nix and the Top 3
Nix may have finished in third place, but she’s quickly proving she’s far from done. Her debut single “Higher” soared to #1 on the iTunes Country chart within hours of its release. On May 19, she celebrated the milestone with a screenshot showing Foster’s “Tell That Angel I Love Her” in the #2 spot.
Later that day, American Idol’s social media highlighted a second chart — iTunes’ overall music ranking — where the top 3 contestants dominated:
- #1 – Jamal Roberts – “Heal”
- #2 – Breanna Nix – “Higher”
- #3 – John Foster – “Tell That Angel I Love Her”
Their chart-topping success signals a rare trifecta of fan enthusiasm for this year’s finalists — each carving their own path with music that deeply resonates.
As Nix herself said in an earlier interview:
“No matter what happens on a TV show, if you’re doing what you’re made to do, then you’re winning already.”
And clearly, all three finalists — especially Jamal Roberts, the man she prophetically chose as the winner months ago — are doing exactly that.
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