After the “American Idol” Season 23 finale aired on May 18, 2025, longtime franchise figure Carrie Underwood took to Instagram to celebrate the newly crowned winner, Jamal Roberts.
In the photo she shared, Underwood was all smiles as she posed with the Mississippi P.E. teacher. Her caption read, “Congratulations to the newest winner of @americanidol !!! I’m so proud of @officialjamalroberts and all he has accomplished this season and I can’t wait to see what mountains he climbs next! He’s going to do great things! ❤️❤️❤️”
But not everyone was convinced. Many fans took to the comment section to express disappointment in Underwood’s behavior throughout the season, claiming she appeared to favor finalist John Foster over Roberts.
One Instagram user wrote, “Girl bye, you wanted John to win. Ran over to hug him but didn’t give much love to Jamal. Watching this season made me not like you and pay attention to how you REALLY feel.” Another follower echoed, “You didn’t want him to win.”
The reactions continued across platforms. “Girl, you ain’t even want him to win. super disappointing because i loved you, [sic]” read one Instagram comment. Another user bluntly said, “Girlll you so fake‼️ you didn’t even want him to win. [sic]”
Similar sentiments were echoed on Facebook under the same post. Comments included, “But she wanted John to win,” “So wanted John to win,” and “Baby stop with that fake smile we already know you didn’t want him to win you been proved that‼️‼️‼️‼️ [sic]”
Among the critical voices, there were also fans who attempted to offer a more charitable perspective. One commenter wrote, “I don’t think she’d take a photo with him if she really hated him. It could’ve just been she had really high standards for him bc she knows how good he is.”
Roberts’ victory marked a historic moment for the show. Out of 26 million votes, he was announced as the winner, becoming the first Black man to take the title since Ruben Studdard won Season 2 in 2003. Roberts, who is 27 years old, performed Anthony Hamilton’s “Her Heart” as his winner’s song while surrounded by his fellow contestants.
He shared the finale stage with other finalists and celebrity guests. Roberts performed alongside Jelly Roll, who had served as the season’s “artist in residence.” John Foster was paired with judge Luke Bryan, while Breanna Nix, who finished third, sang with Brandon Lake. Her elimination was announced halfway through the broadcast.
