Jamal Roberts missed a FaceTime from his ‘American Idol’ mentor — and his response was peak awkward
On May 18, ‘American Idol’ declared Jamal Roberts the season 23 winner, defeating the other two finalists, John Foster, who became the runner-up, and Breanna Nix, who finished in third place. After the glorious win, Roberts shared, “I'm still in shock. I'm still amazed. My big dream is no longer a dream — it's now a reality,” he said in an interview with GoldDerby. He continued, “People ask me all the time… ‘How do you feel? What do you think about that?’ I’m like, ‘This is my first time too, guys! This is my first time being number one.’ It was my first time on 'American Idol.' It was my first experience. Everything is brand new to me, but I’m grateful for the opportunities.”
While Roberts' journey on ‘American Idol’ speaks volumes about his hard work, strength, and dedication, there is no denying that the singer soared with powerful guidance from judges like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Not only that, the Meridian singer also had the unwavering support of his mentor Fantasia Barrino during the 'Disney Night,' when Roberts struggled to pick the right song to perform. Another mentor, Jelly Roll, also had a pivotal role in Roberts' success, helping him perfect his performance of ‘Liar,’ which garnered high praise from the judges and Jelly Roll himself. But it was not until the duo performed on the song ‘Unpretty’ during the grand finale that a genuine connection was seen between the two seasoned artists.
The heartbreaking twist came when, after the win, Jelly Roll called up Roberts, and the new champ didn’t even recognize his mentor on the phone. “He FaceTimed me. I didn’t know who the number was, and then he texted me, ‘So you're Hollywood now, you can’t answer the phone?’ I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know who the number was.’ Unfolding his next career move, Roberts then added, “But yeah, we locked in. That’s my boy right there. He's got my back. We’re going to have something coming soon.”
For eagle-eyed viewers who have followed Roberts' journey closely on the show can vouch that the singer may have taken success to his heart but not to his head. After the win, Roberts proudly went back to Crestwood Elementary School, where he worked as a physical education teacher for years. He told the outlet, “I jumped back into work because the kids wanted to see me on the last day of school," he reveals. "I just wanted to tell them how proud I am of them and their accomplishments this year.”
After claiming the coveted 'Idol's trophy, the 27-year-old shared in an interview with USA Today what being a teacher meant to him: "I wasn't really doing the teaching thing for the money. It was really the kids, who are just my inspiration," before concluding, "So even if I could go back every now and then, just show up and be a part of something, I plan to do that."
