On May 18th, Meridian, Mississippi native Jamal Roberts was named the winner of American Idol Season 23. His soulful voice and powerful vocal range captivated both the judges — Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and newcomer and Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood — and viewers across the country.

During Jamal’s Idol journey, he and the rest of the contestants were mentored by several A-list artists that included Fantasia Barrino, Ashanti, and Josh Groban. Jamal and this season’s first artist-in-residence, Jelly Roll, appeared to form a strong bond, even performing some of the rapper’s biggest hits together during the finale.

Now riding the wave of success, Jamal has scored a No. 1 hit on iTunes and is gearing up to record his debut album. He’s so busy, in fact, that he reportedly missed a phone call from Jelly Roll!

American Idol Winner Jamal Roberts Admitted He Accidentally Ignored A Phone Call From Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll Was American Idol Season 23’s Artist-In-Residence

John Foster and Jamal Roberts on American Idol

27-year-old Jamal Roberts’ life was forever changed when he won Season 23 of American Idol. Throughout his Idol journey, he formed a strong bond with the season’s artist-in-residence, Jelly Roll, who began to mentor the Idol contestants during Hollywood Week all the way to the finale.

With his American Idol win, Jamal secured a coveted record deal with Hollywood Records/19 Recordings, making a debut album all but guaranteed. On top of that, he’s been juggling a packed schedule filled with TV appearances and live performances—proof that Jamal is already making a big name for himself in the music world. However, it appeared that Jamal may have had too much on his plate after ignoring a very important phone call from Jelly Roll.

During an interview with Golden Derby, the Idol winner shared that he accidentally missed a FaceTime call from the “Save Me” artist — with whom he had once shared he’d love to collaborate with.

“He FaceTimed me,” Roberts shares. “I didn’t know who the number was, and then he texted me, ‘So you Hollywood now, you can’t answer the phone?’”

I was like, ‘Man, I didn’t know who the number was.’ But yeah, we locked in. That’s my boy right there. He’s got my back.’”

Jamal and Jelly Roll plan on making music together which fans can certainly look forward to on the Idol winner’s debut album. He told the outlet, “Yeah, we’re already working on that now. We’re working on some stuff as we speak.” He’s also mentioned hoping to record with Season 3 American Idol winner Fantasia, who just so happened to be a Season 23 mentor in April

Jamal shared that having her mentor him was one of the best moments of his Idol journey.

“She told me to be my authentic self. Don’t change for nobody — this is what works. I mean, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ is basically what she was saying. And just keep being true to myself and true to my music,’” he shared.

Jamal And Jelly Roll Developed A Strong Bond During His Idol Journey

Jamal And Jelly Roll Sang “Liar” On The Idol Finale

During the Hawaii rounds of American Idol Season 23, Jamal decided to take a chance and sing Jelly Roll’s hit song, “Liar.” Jelly Roll was in the crowd and was visibly moved by his rendition. After his impressive performance, the rapper was left in awe and could be heard stating, “It ain’t my song no more.”

During the American Idol Season 23 finale, Jamal had the unforgettable opportunity to perform alongside Jelly Roll. The duo first delivered a moving rendition of “Unpretty,” captivating the audience with their emotional delivery. They followed it up with “Liar,” where Jamal’s powerful vocal range perfectly complemented Jelly Roll’s gritty performance, making it one of the night’s most memorable moments.

Fans are hoping Jamal and Jelly Roll continue making music together, as their onstage chemistry is undeniable. Beyond the music, the two have also bonded over their shared devotion to their faith, something that resonates deeply in Jelly Roll’s music. During Jamal’s interview with Golden Derby, he had called himself a “church kid” growing up. In fact, Jamal was even a contestant on BET’s Sunday Best, a singing competition reality TV show that looked for the best singers in gospel music.

“I’m strictly a church kid. I’ve got church roots. I’ve been in church all my life,” Jamal told the outlet. However, Jamal doesn’t want to be put in a box when it comes to his music. He’s previously expressed that during his Idol journey he didn’t know most of the song’s he would sing, but resonated with the lyrics.

“If the lyrics speak to me and I can insert myself in a song in any way, then that’s the song for me. Anytime I can resonate with the lyrics and they mean something to me — whether it’s my past, whether it’s my future, whether it’s based on my faith — I’m able to insert myself and just create a whole new meaning with the song,” he said.

Jamal’s Debut Single Went No. 1 On The iTunes Charts

Jamal’s Debut Single Is Called “Heal”

Via: Disney/Christopher Willard

During the American Idol finale, both Jamal and runner-up, John Foster, debuted what would be their first single. While John chose his original song, “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” Jamal put his own spin on Tom Odell’s “Heal,” and added personal touches with new lyrics that deeply resonated with him.

“‘Heal’ definitely speaks to the soul and the minds, and I’m excited about that. But I do think any genre I sing, I’ll be able to draw people with the lyrics, with the emotion, and just change the whole view of the song.”

Jamal first sang “Heal” during American Idol’s “Iconic Idol Moments” episode in April. The Mississippi native shared that he had never heard the song before and wasn’t even sure who Tom Odell was. However, it was the lyrics that mattered the most to Jamal.

“Most of the songs I’ve sang, I’ve never sang before in my life,” he shared. “Tom Odell, I didn’t know who he was, and I never head his songs. I listened to it and the lyrics of the song spoke to me. I don’t care what genre of song it is, I just need to insert myself inside the song.”

His performance blew everyone away, and it felt right that “Heal” would become Jamal’s debut single. In fact, when it was released, it went No. 1 on the iTunes charts. Jamal reacted to seeing his song at the top of the music charts on Instagram:

Fans commented on Jamal’s post, sharing how much they enjoy his rendition of Tom’s 2013 tune.

“This song speaks to everybody, no matter what genre you listen to or background you come from,” a comment read. “I’ve listened to this song too many times already,” another person wrote.

“What an amazing performance @jellyroll615 take him on tour🙌🏽,” someone even suggested. Fans would surely love to see Jamal up on stage with Jelly Roll again!

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