This 'American Idol' finalist failed his audition twice — now he’s just one step away from the trophy
As 'American Idol' progresses close to its finale, the stakes are skyrocketing. With strong contestants like Breanna Nix, John Foster, and Jamal Roberts battling each other, the viewers are definitely in for a surprise as to who will win the coveted trophy. Roberts, who first won the judges' hearts during his powerful rendition of 'Mary Jane' during his audition, paved his way up to the top 3 with back-to-back stunning performances, impressing both judges and viewers. However, after the last episode, in which Roberts was seen on Disney Nights with his two daughters, fans took more interest in his personal life.
But only a few know that Roberts' journey to the American Idol stage wasn't that easy. In an interview with Good Housekeeping, the 27-year-old P.E. teacher opened up about his previous attempts on the show but failed to pass the audition, not once, but twice. Despite the rejection, Roberts persisted. "I didn’t get defeated," he said. "I never gave up. I took the number. I’ve always been able to take constructive criticism and use it for my gain, and try again. This has always been me."
Talking about his passion, he said, "I started singing at the age of two. My grandparents found out I could sing, and I started singing in church and covering the' Temptations' and Michael Jackson. I had a granddaddy on my dad’s side who was a bishop, and a granddad on my mom’s side was a deacon, so I was in church every time the door opened. I was the usher, and I was in the choir, and I used to play the drums." Even though Roberts had to wait a little longer to make it on the show, his music journey had already started. According to Idolchatteryed, the 27-year-old released his first single, 'He's Preparing Me,' in 2020.
Despite being a top 3 finalist, Roberts remains close to his roots and grounded in his faith. In a recent post on Instagram, he expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, God!! Thank you, America!! Thank you, Meridian! Thank you, American Idol." In an interview with Supertalk, Roberts shared, "Growing up in Meridian, the people who are there, I still know them. I’m able to walk outside and speak and congregate with people that I’ve been knowing for years,” Roberts said. “There’s no fame. It’s just Jamal. I don’t have to change or try to be somebody I’m not. They’re always here for me."
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As of now, no one has an idea how things will turn up in the finale, but the clues are all pointing towards Roberts. Even Judge Luke Bryan admitted, "My gut has told me Jamal has... [been] a lead all year," as reported by People. However, acknowledging that it's eventually up to the number of votes, he advised all the contestants to be focused. "Even if it's something that Jamal's kind of had the reins of, it could change with a little bit of not focusing ... so they have to be focused to the end. The music business is never like that. You've got to focus every day," he concluded.
