Jamal Roberts explains why he quit his job after winning 'American Idol'— and honestly, we can't blame him
Following Jamal Roberts' major victory on 'American Idol' Season 23, all eyes were on his next step. While his recently released track, 'Mississippi,' is grabbing major attention from both fans and critics, Roberts had to make a tough personal decision far away from the glitz of the music industry. The father of three recently revealed that even though he wanted to keep his job, he had to quit after his 'Idol' win, and we can totally understand the reason.
In an interview with Billboard, Roberts opened up about the major changes in his life following his 'American Idol' win. "I went home and thought I could do the same thing I was doing before I left, and I found that to be a lie," he said. For the unversed, before winning the singing competition, Roberts was a PE teacher at a school in Mississippi. Despite his big win, Roberts, fondly known as 'Coach Jamal,' quickly returned to his role at Crestwood Elementary. Just days later, he was back on 'bus duty,' as shown in a Facebook Live video shared by the school, per Entertainment Now.
To sum it up, returning to his teaching job proved impossible for Roberts, as fans began showing up at the school. "I thought, 'This won't work,'" Roberts recalled, leading to a tough decision to leave his position. Although no longer employed there, Roberts still volunteers regularly, saying, "This is where my passion is and my heart is, as well as music." Now, with America's vote behind them, they feel a responsibility to deliver, as he said, "They expect me to put in a little more work, and I have the work ethic, and I'm ready."
In the same interview, Roberts also talked about the final moments of the 'American Idol' Season 23 finale. He recalled what was going through his mind as he stood next to fellow finalist John Foster, waiting for Ryan Seacrest to announce the winner. "I was thinking, 'Jamal, it's up to America to decide not who was better, but who do they want to represent America as an Idol?'" he said.
In that emotional moment, Roberts also took a moment of self-recognition, as he revealed, "I applauded myself for getting this far, staying the course, and doing all the things that were necessary and needed in this competition. I'd been able to show my heart and show my love for music and the journey. I thought, win or lose, good job." When Seacrest called his name, Roberts was in disbelief, saying, "There were fireworks and stuff flying out of the sky and I'm asking myself, 'Did he just call my name? He called my name!' That moment will always be special to me."
Even as he smiled for the cameras, Roberts was still trying to take it all in, and he recalled, "You did it. You came this far. You could be your authentic self. The world sees that and now they know Jamal Roberts. He continued, "I was going to be okay either way, but I worked hard. I came out there every show with something different, something new to the table, and something appealing, and I felt like I was versatile. I felt worthy of being the American Idol." In the end, Roberts saw it as a win regardless, as he said, "Win or lose, I felt like I would have a successful career. It was a win-win situation."