UPDATE: Jamal Roberts is the winner of AMERICAN IDOL 2025

Jamal Roberts wants to be the next American Idol. The singer expertly made his pitch to America on Sunday’s season 23 finale of the show when he sang TEEKS’ 2021 track, “First Time.”

The singer brought the soul for his performance, as he skillfully sang lyrics about love.

All three judges were on their feet after Roberts’ performance.

“You are just so talented,” Carrie Underwood said. “… You just feel so comfortable and sound so comfortable, and it sounds so good.”

Luke Bryan agreed, before quipping, “Will you teach me how to be that smooth?”

“What I love about you is the way you just navigate the story, it happens to come out of your mouth in brilliant form,” Lionel Richie added.

Later in the show, Roberts again took the stage, this time to perform The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).”

“You just have this incredible ability to make things your own, and it all sounds fresh, and new, and fun,” Underwood said, before Bryan called Roberts “one of the most amazing people I’ve ever seen on this show.”

“You are divinely guided, my friend,” Richie said.

It will come down to viewers’ votes to decide if Roberts wins the crown, or if it goes to one of his fellow Top 3 competitors, Breanna Nix and John Foster.

Jamal Roberts’ New Song

Ahead of the finale, the season’s finalists released their new singles. Roberts opted to put out “Heal,” his rendition of Tom Odell’s 2013 song.

Roberts previously performed the track during the April 28 episode of Idol, and earned a standing ovation from judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood when he did so.

“Divinely guided,” Richie said. “Divine!”

Watch the video down below and don’t forget to share this beautiful song with your friends and family…

Jamal Roberts Opens Up About His American Idol Experience

On the day of the finale, Roberts told his fans how he’s feeling about the night ahead.

“Tonight is a big night. We’ve worked hard for this,” Roberts said in a Facebook video. “… This is going to be smooth sailing y’all. We’re at the end of the road.”

As for his Idol journey as a whole, Roberts previously told Billboard the number one thing he’s learned throughout the experience.

“Don’t second-guess yourself. Oh man, second-guessing can cause a lot of stress. Go with your first mind,” he said. “Anything that you do, do your best.”