Jamal Roberts Wins American Idol Season 23 Finale
Jamal Roberts Wins American Idol Season 23!
Jamal Roberts has been crowned the champion of American Idol Season 23! The grand finale aired on Sunday, May 18, 2025, and it was the most-voted finale in Idol history, with over 26 million votes cast—more than double last season’s total.
Final Night Recap: A Soulful Victory
The top 3 finalists were Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix.
Breanna Nix was eliminated halfway through the finale.
That left Jamal and John to battle it out in the final round.
Jamal sealed his victory with a powerful and emotional performance of 'Her Heart' by Anthony Hamilton, leaving both the audience and judges in awe.
Runner-Up and Finalists
Runner-Up: John Foster
Third Place: Breanna Nix
Who Is Jamal Roberts?
Jamal is a 27-year-old gym teacher from Meridian, Mississippi.
This was his third time auditioning for American Idol, proving that never giving up pays off.
He first wowed the judges with “Mary Jane” by Rick James, earning praise for his Southern soul style and his emotional storytelling through music—even if not every note was perfect.
Finale Highlights
Jamal sang “First Time” by Teeks and “Just My Imagination” by The Temptations, before his winning song.
The top 3 came together for a group performance of “We Are the Champions” by Queen.
Celebrity guests and judges added extra sparkle to the night.
