Although many “American Idol” hopefuls share personal struggles to connect with the audience, Season 23 champion Jamal Roberts kept his deepest wounds tucked away—until now. Known for his raw, soul-stirring voice that judges often said “carried pain,” Roberts is finally opening up about where that emotion truly comes from.
Two weeks after his win, the 27-year-old Mississippi native sat down for a candid conversation on The Love You Moore Show with host Willie Moore Jr., revealing the heartbreak behind his childhood, the love he found from his stepmother, and the complicated relationship with his biological mother that shaped both his life and his music.
“When It’s Your Story, It’s Your Story”
During the June 1 podcast interview, Roberts got personal about the emotional scars he carries from being raised without his mother. “I’m not trying to hurt nobody’s feelings,” he began. “But when it’s your story, it’s your story.”
Roberts explained that when he was just two years old, his father took full custody of him and his older brother. Their mother never fought for visitation or maintained contact. “What was going through my mind is, ‘Why my mom not here?’” he recalled. “I got kids, and I’m not going to let my kids go nowhere… How did you get comfortable enough to just let us slip through the cracks?”
The pain, he said, deepened when his mother went on to have more children—but still stayed absent from his life. “I’m like, what did we do so bad to make you abandon us and then go have more kids? It still ain’t clicked yet.”
Pulling Strength from Pain
Roberts told Moore Jr. that much of the emotion fans hear in his performances—especially his gospel-rooted powerhouse vocals—comes from this very sense of abandonment. “When people say they hear pain in my voice, that’s where it’s from. I pulled from abandonment.”
Fortunately, there was someone who filled the emotional void: his stepmother, Tabitha, who he credited as his true maternal figure. “She was always there,” he said, recalling how she constantly encouraged him and built up his confidence when his father—loving, but not affectionate—couldn’t.
Roberts honored Tabitha during the Mother’s Day episode of American Idol, revealing that she had passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. The performance brought many to tears and served as a musical thank-you to the woman who raised him with strength and love.
Reconciling with the Past
In a twist that surprised many fans, Roberts’ biological mother, Kim, appeared in his life again during his American Idol journey. She was present for his audition, and was often seen in the studio audience cheering him on.
However, Roberts revealed on the podcast that he and his mother have never discussed why she gave up custody.
“I never long for knowing what happened,” he said. “If she wanted me to know, she would have told me. She’s in my life now and she’s in my kids’ lives. And I’m fine. I don’t care to find out.”
He added, “All those mistakes paved the road and made me who I am today… I don’t want to put no more pavement on the road. I’m fine. Yeah, I’m fine.”
A Voice That Comes From the Soul
Jamal Roberts’ rise to stardom wasn’t just built on vocal talent—it was fueled by a life marked by rejection, redemption, and resilience. His authenticity, vulnerability, and the pain he turned into power helped him connect with audiences around the world.
He may not have all the answers about his past, but one thing is clear: Roberts knows who he is, where he’s going, and why his voice resonates so deeply. It’s the sound of someone who’s been through the fire—and turned it into gold.
