American Idol 23's winner Jamal Roberts reveals what he plans to do after the finale
After winning season 23 of American Idol, Jamal Roberts has one thing on his mind: sleep!
In a roundtable chat with media following the Sunday, May 18 finale, Roberts revealed his plans after winning.
"I'm going to take a nap," Roberts, 27, explained.
During the finale, a video was presented in which participant Breanna Nix, who finished third, predicted that Roberts would win earlier in the season. When he reflected on that moment, Roberts refused to believe it.
"I said, 'Girl, hush. "Be quiet," Roberts instructed reporters. "I feel great. She was like, 'You're anointed. She stated, 'It's a different anointing.
She said, 'You'll win this.'"
Meanwhile, judge Lionel Richie stated that Roberts "can go any way he wants" with his career.
"He can go to the country tomorrow. Richie told reporters after the show, "As far as I'm concerned, he's off to the races."
"And I think what I loved the most was what America needed to see was the two of them standing together," he said of Roberts and the runner-up. "That is my prayer for America, since we are a melting pot.
We aren't simply one tribe. And so seeing them together was just what I was hoping for."
Judge Luke Bryan, who previously stated he had a "gut feeling" about Roberts, said he "wanted him to win".
"When I say that, you never want to take away from what John Foster accomplished. John Foster is great, and I believe John will do... He'll perform well in music, but when I look at Jamal's overall approach to singing, he's a fantastic singer," he explained.
"I believe that is what American Idol is all about: great singers winning, and he is a wonderful one... when I listen to [him], he really moves me. "I am a big fan of him.
"
Judge Carrie Underwood, who won the program in 2005, offered some advise to Roberts.
"At the end, I got to wish him congratulations. I said, 'Now, go accomplish big things.' Because it's such an excellent launching pad, springboard, and opportunity. He has to hustle. "He needs to work hard," the "Before He Cheats" singer added. "He's got to make a lot of big decisions, and then say some prayers and see where the good Lord takes him."
On Sunday night, Roberts, a gym teacher at a Mississippi elementary school, celebrated his victory by singing Anthony Hamilton's "Her Heart" song.
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