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Forbes
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Who Won ‘American Idol' 2025? Season 23 Finale Recap And Results
JOHN FOSTER, BREANNA NIX, JAMAL ROBERTS Disney American Idol crowned its Season 23 winner on Sunday, May 18, during a live, star-studded finale filled with stellar performances and lots of special guests. Read on for a recap of the grand finale, including who was named the American Idol 2025 winner and runner-up. Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood all performed during the finale, joined by the Top 14 and special guests including the Goo Goo Dolls, Good Charlotte, Jessica Simpson, Patti LaBelle, Salt-N-Pepa, Jennifer Holliday, Josh Groban, Brandon Lake, Cody Johnson, Myles Smith, and Kirk Franklin. The night kicked off with the Top 3 contestants – John Foster, Jamal Roberts, and Breanna Nix – performing 'We Are the Champions' by Queen. In the final episode, the singers were mentored by artist-in-residence, rapper and songwriter Jelly Roll. JOHN FOSTER, LUKE BRYAN Disney First up was 18-year-old Foster, who sang "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" by Toby Keith. Richie said he 'nailed' the performance, while Underwood said she was so proud of him. Fellow judge Bryan praised his growth and confidence, adding that it's been a 'privilege' to watch him on stage. Roberts, 27, then took the stage to perform 'First Time' by Teeks. Underwood pointed out how comfortable and at ease he looked on stage. 'Everything about you is a star,' Bryan said, complimenting how smooth he is. Richie added that he loves how Jamal navigates the story on stage, which comes out of his mouth 'in brilliant forms.' Twenty-five-year-old Nix was up next, performing 'In Jesus Name (God Is Possible)' by Katy Nichole. 'You've just been amazingly solid all year,' praised Bryan. Richie told Nix that her belief has always shown through her music and urged her to stay on her path. Underwood noted how Jesus has been an important part of her journey from the beginning. 'That's who you are.' JAMAL ROBERTS, JELLY ROLL Disney The contestants then headed back to their respective hometowns. Addis, Louisiana native Foster performed 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' by John Denver. Richie quipped that he wanted to see Foster's birth certificate and urged viewers to vote. Underwood commended his song choice, while Bryan highlighted his emotional hometown visit. Following his hometown visit to Meridian, Mississippi, Roberts performed 'Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)' by The Temptations. Underwood praised his ability to sing everything from contemporary to throwback hits. Bryan called Roberts 'one of the most amazing people' he's ever seen on this show. Richie said he was 'divinely guided' and is 'going to rock the world.' Nix concluded the second round of performances before the first elimination. She returned to her roots in Denton, Texas, then hit the stage to sing 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus. The judges gave her a standing ovation. "What a perfect song choice," Bryan said, adding that she took him on an 'unbelievable ride.' Richie added, 'Perfect song, perfect voice, perfect presentation.' Underwood commented that she's 'a gorgeous, wonderful inspiration for so many people.' BREANNA NIX Disney Breanna Nix was the first contestant eliminated in the American Idol Season 23 finale. Longtime host Ryan Seacrest announced that her new single, 'Higher,' is out now. 'I don't even know where to begin… Nix Nation - thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single one of you who's supported me throughout this experience,' the singer wrote on Instagram after the finale. 'I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and so excited for what's next. I can't wait to share more music and grow with you, this is just the beginning. There's so much I want to say, but for now… thank you. Truly. You've changed my life.' JOHN FOSTER Disney Coming in second place, John Foster was named the American Idol Season 23 runner-up. The aspiring country singer later wrote on Instagram that it was a 'true blessing' to share the Idol stage with so many incredible heroes, new faces, and legends. 'I'm beyond thankful, and I can't wait to keep making music for y'all as long as the good Lord lets me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - times a million," Foster added. Also during the finale, Foster performed his new song, 'Tell That Angel I Love Her,' which is now available to stream. JAMAL ROBERTS Disney Jamal Roberts was named the winner of American Idol Season 23. Roberts became the first Black man to win the singing competition since Season 2's Ruben Studdard in 2003. After his victory, the Mississippi P.E. teacher took the stage to perform 'Her Heart' by Anthony Hamilton. 'I'm still trying to process this… God is so good,' Roberts shared in a heartfelt post on Instagram. 'From my first step on that stage to this unbelievable moment, I never dreamed a kid from my hometown would one day be called American Idol. This journey has been bigger than me, and I'm so grateful for every person who believed in me when I was just chasing a dream.' He continued, 'Most of all, I hope my girls see this and know that with faith, hard work, and heart, anything is possible. To my city, my family, and everyone out there grinding for something greater, this is our victory.' The 27-year-old father to 6-year-old Harmoni and 4-year-old Lyrik said he can now 'make music with the best in the world" and share his story, adding that this isn't the end, but the very beginning. 'From the bottom of my heart… THANK YOU! None of this happens without y'all.' Roberts' new single, 'Heal,' which he performed on stage before his win, is available now. Richie told USA Today after the finale that he was 'so happy' for Jamal. "And there's no number two guy here," he added, referring to Foster as the runner-up. 'They equally stood next to each other and represented their lane of music — and killed it. I'm so happy for both of them.' During the broadcast, Seacrest revealed that over 26 million votes were cast Sunday night – more than double the number from last year's finale. Watch the moment Roberts was crowned the winner below. The American Idol Season 23 finale is now available to stream on Hulu starting May 19.
Mint
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Jamal Roberts takes American Idol Season 23 trophy home. Fans say 'now we can finally rest'
Beloved American reality show American Idol recently crowned their season 23 winner - Jamal Roberts. The 27-year-old dad of three competed against Breanna Nix and John Foster, and took home the coveted winner's trophy. Host Ryan Seacrest finally revealed at the end of the night that the American Idol Season 23 winner was Jamal, which meant that John took second place in the competition. Jamal's win left his fans and family ecstatic. For the finale, John performed Toby Keith's Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) and John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads. Jamal performed Teeks' First Time and the Temptations' Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me). Breanna performed Katy Nichole's In Jesus Name (God of Possible) and Miley Cyrus' The Climb. Ever since his win, Jamal's fans and supporters have been expressing their love and happiness on social media. One user wrote, "Good Job, America. You got it right. Congratulations Jamal." Meanwhile another person wrote, 'JAMAL WINS EVIL HAS BEEN DEFEATED NOW I CAN FINALLY REST.' A third user on X wrote, "So happy I don't have to turn this internet upside down. Congratulations Jamal." A fourth person commented, '#AmericanIdol Jamal congrats! I haven't watched in 20 years but finally America got it right. Although Gabby should've been right beside him.' Take a look at some other internet reactions: According to a report from Newsweek last year, the prize package for the winner is pretty sweet. Jamal can expect to pocket around $125,000 upfront, with another $100,000 waiting for him once he's delivered a full album - which becomes a total of $250,000. But that's not all - the American Idol winners also get a record contract with Hollywood Records, which comes with a budget of up to $300,000 to record their album. This sum of money will act essentially as an advance that they'll need to pay back from future earnings. The American Idol finale was a real spectacle, with the top three contestants sharing the stage with an incredible lineup of superstar guests such as Brandon Lake, Goo Goo Dolls, Good Charlotte, and even legends like Jennifer Holliday, Jessica Simpson, and Salt-N-Pepa. And if that wasn't enough, the judges themselves - Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie - ditched their judging table for some show-stopping performances of their own.
Fast Company
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
Spotify's AI-powered DJ now takes song requests
Since it launched two years ago, Spotify's AI DJ has been a one-way experience. It curates old favorites and helps listeners discover new tracks based on past listening experience and what similar users like. But now it's getting interactive. Spotify unveiled the ability to request songs from the DJ based on mood, genre, and vibe. The feature, which launched across 60 markets, is exclusive to Spotify Premium users, who can access the DJ by searching for the tool in the app. It's the latest AI feature to come from Spotify, which introduced an AI-generated playlist builder for Premium users in the United States last fall. But Molly Holder, Spotify's senior director of product for personalization, says that tool was designed for people who want to take an active role in their listening experience. The new DJ request feature, by contrast, is designed to give users more input into an essentially 'lean back' experience. 'We know that even in a 'lean back' moment, users still want some semblance of control,' she says. How does the DJ request feature work? After a user searches for and calls up the DJ in the app, they can make a request by holding down the DJ icon and speaking a prompt. (The feature requires microphone access.) After receiving the prompt, such as 'upbeat songs for running' or 'ambient for a rainy day,' the DJ will 'think' for a bit before launching into a tailored playlist. Focusing on mood or moment along with a genre tends to be the best approach for using the feature. Wanting to give it a slam dunk, I asked for 'early 2000s patriotic country' and immediately got Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.' Not too hard. But when I asked for 'undiscovered African gems for a summer barbecue,' expecting Afrobeats and Amapiano, the DJ instead served songs from the African diaspora. (The first was by Timbuktu, who Spotify describes as 'one of Sweden's most well-known hip-hop artists.') Once I specified the genre, the results were better, but I'd forgotten to make clear I wanted undiscovered artists, so I got a lot of Tyla. With several of the requests, the DJ seemed somewhat buggy, abruptly stopping a song and launching into its more default mode. When I asked for 'DIY indie rock from the mid-2010s,' it played a few bars from an early Mitski song, then reset itself and introduced my top songs from 2023. Pairing insight with a human touch Spotify's Holder says that while the DJ's content-surfacing abilities are powered by AI, many of the comments and insights that it delivers in between songs—the bits that make the tool feel like a personalized and expert experience—are powered by humans. 'We have music experts and editors who have built what's called the 'writer's room' for the DJ product,' she says. 'These folks come together with generative AI to build the commentary that DJ offers throughout the experience.' This commentary can increase listener engagement—which can be beneficial for artists who are trying to break through as well. 'In that writer's room, when we build that commentary, it helps to bring artists' stories to life to bring a little bit more context to the content we're recommending,' Holder says. 'One thing we see is that users who hear commentary about a track in the DJ experience are more likely to listen to a track they might have otherwise skipped.' Holder also positions the new feature in Spotify's long history of using machine learning to build personalization into the user experience, from Discovery Weekly to Daylists and now the DJ requests. 'We're really applying AI strategically across our product portfolio in ways that enhance the value proposition of our products.'
