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Jamal Roberts Just Broke the ‘American Idol’ Mold — and Country Music Will Have To Wait

May 20, 2025

From the beginning, American Idol Season 23 seemed destined to crown a country singer—especially with Carrie Underwood joining the judging panel and a contestant pool heavy on twang and tradition. But while the season showcased several strong country artists, it was Jamal Roberts, blazing his own R&B path, who reminded everyone what the show is really about: talent rising above genre.

If the social media likes and video views were any indication, it would have seemed as if John Foster was going to be the next American Idol. But when Ryan Seacrest made the announcement revealing Roberts as the Season 23 winner, he defied the odds and proved that raw talent wins out in the end, not the genre they sing. With an R&B singer reigning as the American Idol winner, country music will have to wait another year to find and declare a new tribute to champion.

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While the season seemed to be driven by the desire to find the next big country singer, Roberts shut down that reality with his victory. During his coronation performance, both Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie were immediately on their feet. Not so much from Underwood, who watched country music fail to win in the end, standing much later into the performance. Roberts’ victory has more meaning than one might believe, as he is only the second Black male winner. The first one came all the way back in 2003 with Season 2’s Ruben Studdard. Though Foster would have been a worthy winner, artistry and originality became what America was looking for this season. Roberts was able to twist any song into his own, bringing smooth R&B to the Idol stage.

Roberts has been a strong and consistent contestant throughout the season. He is a showstopper. He is rooted in R&B, but has mainstream crossover ability as displayed throughout the season. He showcased his ability to sing country during his Showstopper performance of “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton and his Aulani performance of “Liar” by Jelly Roll. By exploring those songs, he gave those country music fans of the show an understanding that he could be their Shaboozey. Roberts understood the assignment. He saw the writing on the wall. Rather than shunning country, he took the challenge head-on. It was a successful, groundbreaking, and strategic move.

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It’s time to dissect the curious case of Season 16.

Jamal Roberts’ Talent Speaks For Itself

Roberts never faltered. His portfolio was filled with a range of songs that were a breath of fresh air in an oversaturation of country music. By the time the finale rolled around, he finally performed his much-anticipated duet with Jelly Roll but capped off a brilliant resume with his first single, “Heal,” a song rooted in R&B and soul. It was winner-worthy. It will be discussed alongside iconic Idol moments. When the time came to declare a winner, Roberts’ talent triumphed. He won the finale through every performance he gave.

There is no doubt that Roberts was a vocal frontrunner of the season, but based on the story of the season, he defied the narrative with his victory. The voting viewers essentially told American Idol they did not want an agenda of a Foster or Breanna Nix victory. American Idol fans wanted the season to be represented by the best overall artist. And that person was Roberts. Maybe when we analyze the voting breakdown, we’ll come to understand that having two similar country and faith-based singers cancel one another out, giving Roberts a lane to victory. But that is how democracy works. Roberts is the rightful winner, but there could have been voters who voted based on defiance.

While we don’t know who will officially be seated behind the judges’ panel next season, we do know that the audition process is already starting soon. Seacrest revealed that producers will be on hand at CMA Fest in Nashville to meet a new batch of hopefuls. If this doesn’t tell you what they want, I don’t know what does. For those, like Roberts, who are aware of what is trending on American Idol, stay in your lane while also dipping your toes into the country pool. Roberts won hearts when he proved that he could sing country music through his artistry. It was the smartest decision he made all season long.

American Idol is available to stream on Hulu.