Jamal Roberts, the second Black man to win “American Idol” in over 20 years, is finally breaking his silence over his feat and the reaction it garnered from judge Carrie Underwood. And trust us when we say his response was nothing but classy. Suggested Reading Paris Jackson Blasts Haters for Criticizing Tour on Michael Jackson’s…

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 09: Jamal Roberts attends the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Jamal Roberts, the second Black man to win “American Idol” in over 20 years, is finally breaking his silence over his feat and the reaction it garnered from judge Carrie Underwood. And trust us when we say his response was nothing but classy.

Carrie Underwood Gets Backlash For American Idol Reaction

As we previously told you, throughout the season, Underwood’s critiques of Roberts heavily revolved around his lack of stage presence as opposed to his actual singing ability. During his final performance, she drew ire from fans online when she remained in her chair while her fellow co-judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan gave him a standing ovation.

And to make matters worse, after Roberts was announced as the winner, Underwood was seemingly reluctant to go and shake his hand.

In the immediate aftermath, Underwood tried to assuage the feelings of folks by later posting a congratulatory picture with Roberts on her Instagram page. But people saw right through it and accused of her trying to do damage control after being overtly shady and rude.

Roberts, meanwhile, was too busy basking in his new win to pay it any mind –until now. Speaking in a recent interview with PEOPLE last week, the talented crooner was asked about the online chatter and Underwood’s response. Keeping in line with the humble and gracious vibe he gave off during the show, Robert’s reaction was both the personification of Michelle Obama’s famous quote: “when they go low, we go high” and a hella real admission from a man who’s secure in his talents.

“Carrie is a country singer and she likes country music. I mean, I don’t think she likes every genre for real. She had her picks, she had her choose of who she really liked. And she stuck with it,” he explained. “So you know, we applaud her for sticking to her roots and sticking to who she liked. But, I feel like the better person won.”

 

Roberts, a Mississippi native, is clearly giving no more thoughts to the hateration as he has bigger things to be grateful for, like his three daughters and recent keys to the city of Atmore, Ala. that he just received over the weekend.