This finale duet is going down in American Idol history! Jamal Roberts stormed his way to a 2025 American Idol win after his show-stopping duet with none other than his inspiration Jelly Roll. The pair threw down on Jelly Roll’s songs “Liar” and “Unpretty,” and their energy lit up the room like nobody’s business. Needless to say, there were plenty of vocal fireworks, but the best part was Jelly Roll hyping up Roberts throughout like a proud soccer dad, and then giving him a full bow with reverence at the end.
Jelly Roll kicked off the song with a vulnerable verse on “Unpretty” and then Roberts brought the soul with his honeyed tenor. The smile on Jelly Roll’s face as Roberts started singing said it all. The pair’s amazing chemistry had their duet blowing up to 1.3 million views. There’s just something great about hearing Jelly Roll’s humble, heartfelt style mixed with Roberts’ fiery soul power. The Music Man is down with the new American Idol reigning champ, as Roberts really stepped up to the plate here!
American Idol uploaded Roberts’ finale performances on May 19, 2025, and they instantly became Idol classics. Fans were picking up what Roberts was putting down and added comments such as “This was THE BEST duet of the entire finale. They have got to record something together” and “Jelly Roll makes me cry, the way he supports Jamal like a proud father. Jamal, you got yourself a best friend.”
Roberts dropped three cracking cuts for the finale, with all three quickly hitting one million views. One of the classiest moments was when the 27-year-old flexed his R&B chops on Teeks’ “First Time.” Roberts showed off his ability to nail the whole range of moods throughout the series, and the finale was no exception. His take on “First Time” showed his ability to channel some John Legend vibes on a romantic ballad, while also putting his own stamp on things with his signature power vocal runs.
Roberts faced off against John Foster and Breanna Nix in the 2025 American Idol finale. He decisively won the fan vote to take home the crown on season 23 of the show.
A performer of undeniable vocal talent and natural charisma, Roberts was tipped as a favorite heading into the finale, although Foster was also considered to be a strong contender by many commentators. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that the finale panned out largely as predicted by pundits, with Nix being eliminated halfway through the finale and then Roberts surpassing Foster in the fan vote to take the win.