American Idol Season 23 Winner Jamal Roberts Shocks Fans

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A new American Idol winner is stepping into the spotlight.

Host Ryan Seacrest declared Jamal Roberts as the victor in the season 23 finale, which took place on May 18th, with judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan expressing their excitement.

In an exciting turn of events, I had the honor of emerging victorious against John Foster and Breanna Nix, who were my formidable opponents in the final round. Earlier in the evening, Breanna was unfortunately eliminated from the competition.

Before the grand finale unfolded with powerhouse performances by Foster, Nix, Roberts, Good Charlotte, Jessica Simpson, Jelly Roll, and Patti LaBelle (and many more), here I am, your die-hard fan, reflecting on my journey as a past Idol winner in 2005. Now, let me share some words of wisdom with the top three contestants: Embrace this moment, cherish it, and give it everything you’ve got!

I shared with TopMob News, following the Disney Night on May 12th, that they are currently going through a challenging period. There’s barely any time for them to unwind tonight.

Underwood clarified that the group will be returning home and contemplating their plans for the final performance. They are working out their songs, arrangements, and even worrying about media interviews since there is a lot happening all at once.

Meanwhile, as the finalists had quite a bit on their plates last week, the Grammy winner pointed out that it was merely a sneak peek of things yet to unfold.

For Underwood, mom of Isaiah (age 10) and Jacob (age 6), along with husband Mike Fisher, the challenges persist, as she candidly admitted, “It’s a genuine battle for me too.

“Just do the best you can,” she concluded. “Have faith in God, lean on your family.”

Since the current season of “Idol” has come to an end, what lies ahead for Underwood? She is making her way back home to be with her family.

She mentioned that this coming week is their children’s final week of school. As a result, her thoughts are primarily focused on wrapping up the school year for now.

In July, it was revealed that Underwood would take on the role of a judge on the Idol show, filling in for Katy Perry who had previously left the program.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but feel that Carrie’s been presiding over judgments for eons. She just seems so at ease, so effortlessly relaxed. (Ryan shared this with TopMob News.)

The host remarked, “I truly enjoy it when she recounts her experiences, as she was present and can remember those significant instances.

Let’s prepare for the next season by turning off the lights and discover all the backstage mysteries surrounding “American Idol”.

In a 2020 TikTok post, Margie Mays, who participated in seasons 17 and 18 of American Idol, explained that contestants don’t receive payment until they reach the live rounds. However, she did mention that she was compensated for appearing in American Idol commercials and her finale performance following elimination. She also noted that expenses like travel to locations such as Hawaii were covered, along with a daily allowance for food during the trip. Yet, participating as a contestant doesn’t come with a salary; it’s a sacrifice made in pursuit of winning. If you do win, there is a substantial reward: $250,000, but as season 16 champion Maddie Poppe told Business Insider in 2022, the prize comes with hefty taxes, and only half is received before completing the record deal. The remaining half is given after the completion of the record, making it essentially an advance on the record deal, which likely needs to be paid back.

To clarify, the season seven champion, David Cook, revealed to Business Insider that his initial audition in front of judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson was actually his fifth attempt.

The American Idol show offers several methods for auditions, such as open calls, live online auditions, or social media submissions. However, the official rules dictate that singers who receive a callback during the selection process must organize their own travel arrangements for the preliminary auditions.

David explained that once they reached Hollywood Week, the show would provide accommodations and cover travel expenses; but for the initial city auditions, each participant is responsible for their costs.

Once you receive your golden ticket from judges like Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan, you need to journey out to sunny California for the nerve-wracking Hollywood Week. But do the producers cover these travel costs?

In a 2020 TikTok, Margie explained, “They will fly you to Hollywood Week if you have to take a flight. They book it and pay for it. That’s fantastic! They’ll transport you from the airport to your hotel, which is covered as well. Meals are even provided.”

She added, “They won’t give you cash, but they will cover your expenses.

In the initial stages of the competition, each contestant is individually responsible for choosing their own outfits. However, once they reach the live rounds (typically starting from Top 14), a team of stylists, hair and makeup artists will be provided to help them transform into stars. This team works within a budget; in 2013, contestants were given $400 per episode for their wardrobe. The contestants are building their image or brand, so if the chosen outfit exceeds this budget, they have the option to pay the difference themselves if they wish to wear it.

 

After Ryan Seacrest announces the competition results and singers are eliminated, it’s time for them to gather their belongings and depart.

Margie explained in a 2021 TikTok video that during Hollywood Week, contestants typically leave immediately after being sent home, as they can be booked on a flight right away. They would leave the theater, go to another hotel, board the plane, and depart straightaway.

However, for later stages of the competition, such as Hawaii, everyone flies back to Los Angeles together, regardless of whether they made it to the Top 20 or not. When contestants reside in apartments and perform live shows, if they are cut between the Top 20 and 10, they may leave quickly. But if they’re in the Top 10 and get cut, there’s a good chance they will remain in the apartments until the finale because they will likely be brought back for the finale and perform during it.

On American Idol, contestants must be at least 15 years old. Consequently, some singers were still balancing their education alongside the competition. Danielle Finn, who was 17 when she made it to the Top 24 in season 20, shared that they had school on set and were limited to filming for only 10 hours a day. If they exceeded this limit, they would be held aside, or if they had spare time, they were expected to attend school. Similarly, Victoria Johnson, who was 16 during season 22’s Showstopper round, had to fulfill her required school hours while on the show, even though it was during spring break. Since she was a minor, this was enforced. During Hollywood Week, she occupied herself with puzzles since she didn’t have any schoolwork. This semester, Victoria is taking all her classes online due to American Idol commitments because she had to travel back and forth for filming.

Over the course of its existence, American Idol contestants have resided in various places such as apartments, hotels, and even luxurious mansions. For example, during season eight, a grand mansion boasted facilities like a basketball court, bowling alley, cinema room, indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

In a February 2024 Instagram post, contestant Lil Rounds reminisced about her experience from 15 years ago, stating that while the mansion was amazing, sleep was scarce.

Nowadays, it seems like contestants prefer staying in hotels. In fact, season 22 winner Abi Carter and top seven finalist Julia Gagnon shared a room together.

They are extremely occupied, as evidenced by Ruben Studdard’s recollection of his jam-packed schedule during season two. This included selecting songs, preparing performances, vocal coaching, filming for show packages and commercials. He explained that on Thursdays they received the songs, Fridays were spent choosing them, Fridays and Saturdays were dedicated to taping commercials, Sundays were for final song selections and studio work, and Tuesdays were for a full run-through of the show. This was all before Wednesday’s elimination, which then led to an even busier schedule as the group grew smaller because the workload remained the same. Jena Irene Asciutto shared a similar experience, noting that as contestants were eliminated, those remaining had to fill more time on the show, leading to increased demands and responsibilities.

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2025-05-19 06:17