After winning Season 23 of American Idol, Jamal Roberts had just one thing on his mind—getting some rest.
“I’m going to take a nap,” the 27-year-old Mississippi native told PEOPLE during a roundtable interview following the live finale on Sunday, May 18.
The night was filled with memorable moments, including a video clip showing fellow finalist Breanna Nix—who finished in third place—predicting early in the season that Roberts would take home the title. Reflecting on that moment, Roberts shared, “I was like, ‘Girl, hush. Be quiet.’ I feel amazing. She was like, ‘You’re anointed.’ She said, ‘It’s a different anointing.’ She said, ‘You’re going to win this.’”
The finale, officially titled “819 (Grand Finale),” featured the Top 3 contestants delivering their final performances in a star-studded event filled with appearances from music legends and major stars. At the end of the night, Roberts was named the winner in a live broadcast on ABC.
After the show, Idol judge Lionel Richie praised Roberts’ versatility and potential. “He can go any way he wants,” Richie said. “He can go country tomorrow. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, he’s off to the races.” He went on to highlight the importance of seeing Roberts and runner-up John Foster standing side by side in the final moments. “That’s what I pray for for America,” Richie said. “Because we’re a melting pot. We’re not just one particular tribe. And so to see them together was just the picture I was hoping for.”
Fellow judge Luke Bryan, who had previously expressed confidence in Roberts, reaffirmed his admiration. “I wanted him to win,” Bryan admitted. “And when I say that, you never want to take away from what John Foster did. John Foster is incredible, and I think John will do… he’ll do really well in music. But when I look at Jamal’s whole approach to singing, he’s a really great singer. I think that’s what American Idol is about—great singers winning, and he is a great one. When I listen to [him], he really moves me. I am really a fan of him.”
Judge Carrie Underwood, who won American Idol herself in 2005, offered a few words of advice to the new winner. “At the end, I got to tell him congratulations. I said, ‘Now, go do great things.’ Because it’s such an incredible launching pad, springboard, opportunity,” she explained. “He’s got to hustle. He’s got to work hard. He’s got to make a lot of big decisions, and then say some prayers and see where the good Lord takes him.”
Roberts, a gym teacher at a local elementary school in Mississippi, closed the show with a soulful and emotional performance of Anthony Hamilton’s “Her Heart,” marking his win with a moment that moved both the audience and the judges.
