Jamal Roberts is a Meridian, Mississippi-born singer who captured the nation's vote to win American Idol Season 23 — becoming only the second Black man to take the title in the show's 20+ year history. A former P.E. teacher and father, Jamal built a devoted following singing covers on TikTok long before he ever stepped on the Idol stage.
Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood took notice from his very first audition — and by the finale, Jamal had turned raw, soulful covers into a signature sound all his own. Since the win, his single "Heal" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs chart, and "Mississippi," a tribute to the state that shaped his career, followed soon after.
Today Jamal tours and records while staying rooted in the community that raised him. In 2025 he joined Brandy and Monica's sold-out "The Boy Is Mine" arena tour as a guest performer, and in January 2026 he sang the National Anthem at the College Football Playoff National Championship in front of more than 22 million viewers. His single "Still," a collaboration with Jonathan McReynolds, earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song. Whether on a festival stage or in a sanctuary, Jamal brings that same homegrown, soulful energy to every performance.
