A soulful ‘American Idol’ performance brought the song’s creator to tears — and it’s easy to see why
Jamal Roberts, the winner of 'American Idol' season 23, has moved many hearts with his powerful performances throughout his journey on the show. The moment the 27-year-old delivered a soulful rendition of ‘Heal’ during the grand finale is still sending shockwaves, even bringing the original artist to tears. The song was originally sung by British Singer Tom Odell in 2013, but Roberts gave it an R&B spin on the tune, making it his first debut single. Turns out, it didn't only impress the judges, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, who gave him a standing ovation, but it also blew away Odell, "The other day this guy in America, here in America, did a cover of 'Heal' on American Idol," he said in an interview with New York Radio Station, as reported by The Things.
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Speaking of the performance, he added, "Watch this thing. It made me cry. He does this version of 'Heal' and, you know, this is a song I wrote when I was 20 years old and I’m 34 now. And I watched this thing on YouTube. He even said he got interviewed, he’d only heard the song, like the day before, and he does this version of it, and I’m just like, ‘That is why I do this.’ That’s what music is!'" Reflecting deeply on the power of music that transcends borders, he said, "Like, to me, it’s all communication, and it’s all about that amazing thing of cultures coming together and learning something from one another. That’s what music is."
This wasn't the first time Roberts performed the song. Earlier on the show, during the episode 'Iconic Idol Moments,' on April 28, Roberts performed the same song, which garnered him praise from judges at the time, including his mentor, Fantasia Barrino. In a backstage video, the Meredian singer shared that for him, the process for making the song choice is not as complicated as one would think: "I don't care what genre of song it is, I just need to insert myself inside the song."
Fans, too, couldn't stop raving about Roberts' performance, an 'American Idol' viewer wrote on the YouTube comment section, "Who's here listening for the 100th time? This should be Jamal's first studio song. It will also give the original artist a spotlight more and more for the time to come." Agreeing with the sentiment, another viewer wrote, "This is the most powerful performance in American Idol history."
Praising Robert's performance, an X user wrote, "Wow, Jamal is so extremely talented. What a powerful performance. And also at the end of the performance, when he stops singing, the lights shine right on him. That was such a perfect moment for such a beautiful performance!" Adding to the string of praise, another user wrote, "Jamal Roberts COMMANDED that room. WOW." The song was not only a hit on the show but also went on to become a No. 1 hit on the iTunes Chart, as reported by Entertainment Now.
