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20 years after her win, there’s still one thing about ‘American Idol’ that scares Carrie Underwood

Jamal Roberts won ‘American Idol’ Season 23, now Carrie Underwood is revealing what got her heart pounding during the finale

Carrie Underwood still gets scared of a crucial 'American Idol' moment. Speaking to USA Today, the 'Before He Cheats' hitmaker revealed that the singing competition gives her the nerves, especially the tension leading up to the winner’s announcement. Underwood joined Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie as part of the judges’ panel for season 23. This marked her first gig as an 'American Idol' judge after winning the show in 2005. Underwood admitted that she was swept away in the wave of nostalgia after returning to the show 20 years later.

“There’s so many moments that have happened throughout this show this year that have been very nostalgic,” she told the outlet after the season 23 finale. The 'Somethin’ Bad' singer revealed that her “heart was pounding” when host Ryan Secrest held a pause before announcing the winner. She felt like “everybody in the room was holding their breath,” which reminded her of the time when she was on the show. This year not only marked the 20th anniversary of her appearance on 'American Idol' but also her debut album, 'Some Hearts'.

The singer plans to celebrate the milestone by re-releasing the album on Vinyl with a “new cover and some new old live tracks” on it. The season 23 finale aired on Sunday, May 18, and Jamal Roberts was crowned the newest 'American Idol' champion. Jamal performed Anthony Hamilton’s 'Her Heart', competing against John Foster and Breanna Nix for the title. Hamilton bagged the trophy after garnering the highest votes, Foster was placed second, while Nix was placed third.

The competition’s host revealed that it was the “biggest finale vote in show history.” The finale was graced with performances from Brandon Lake, Goo Goo Dolls, Good Charlotte, Jennifer Holliday, Jessica Simpson, Josh Groban, Salt-N-Pepa, and many others. The top 14 contestants also took to the stage for one last dazzling finale performance. Additionally, the judges – Underwood, Bryan and Richie – delivered special performances for the grand finale. Jamal’s victory made him the second Black man to win the singing competition. “I made history? That’s good to know. That’s really good to know,” he told the Parade while reacting to his win.

“Ryan took so long, I didn’t even know he had called my name,” he added. Jamal, a father and P.E. teacher from Meridian, admitted that the feeling hasn’t sunk in yet. “I was like, ‘I just won American Idol,’” he told the outlet. He won over the audience’s heart with his proficiency in different genres, especially R&B/soul. Jamal performed an R&B rendition of Tom Odell’s song Heal and blew the audience and the judges away. The singer revealed that he “studied” the lyrics, wrote them, read them, and made them relatable enough for him to inspire emotions while singing. He also credited coaches Rithie and Bryan for “pulling for” him. “That’s why I stayed focused, and I just continued the journey,” he added. It’s safe to say that his hard work paid off.