‘American Idol’s’ latest winner is….
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — This story contains spoilers about the Season 23 winner of “American Idol.”
“American Idol” has a new champion.
The long-running singing competition series crowned the winner of Season 23 on Sunday, after drawing 26 million fan votes, the most since the reality singing competition moved from Fox to ABC in 2018 after the first 15 seasons.
Jamal Roberts, a 27-year-old physical education teacher in Mississippi was declared the winner.
The crooner, who excelled across all the genres, is the second Black male artist to win the competition after Ruben Studdard took the title during the show’s second season in 2003.
Country singer John Foster came in second.
Roberts grabbed his face in surprise when host Ryan Seacrest announced him as the winner before performing the Anthony Hamilton single, “Her Heart.”
This season was also the first where former “American Idol” and country star Carrie Underwood served as a judge, along with fellow singer Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking debut album, Underwood is releasing a new special edition vinyl, “Some Hearts 20th Anniversary Edition.” The eight-time Grammy winner won the fourth season of “American Idol.”
Roberts received prizes that include a recording contract. He now joins the ranks of past winners including Studdard, Underwood and the first winner, Kelly Clarkson who has parlayed her win into a successful career as both a singer and a daytime talk show host.
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