American Idol Season 23 is over, and Jamal Roberts is the winner. The 27-year-old gym teacher from Meridian, Mississippi, defeated John Foster and Breanna Nix in the live May 18, 2025 finale. The season featured Carrie Underwood’s judging debut alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, with Ryan Seacrest returning as host.
American Idol Season 23 is complete. Jamal Roberts, a 27-year-old gym teacher from Meridian, Mississippi, won the season during the live finale on May 18, 2025. The finalists were Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix.
The season also marked Carrie Underwood’s first year as an American Idol judge. She joined returning judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, with Ryan Seacrest continuing as host. Underwood’s appointment was a notable full-circle moment: she won Season 4 in 2005 and became the first former Idol winner to join the judging panel.
Spoiler warning: The winner, finalists, and major competition milestones are discussed below.
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Who won American Idol Season 23?
Jamal Roberts won American Idol Season 23. ABC announced the result during the live grand finale on May 18, 2025. Roberts competed against fellow finalists John Foster and Breanna Nix, who made up the season’s final three.
ABC reported that more than 26 million votes were cast for the finalists. The network also reported 6.51 million same-day viewers and a 0.72 rating among adults ages 18–49 for the finale, describing it as the show’s best telecast audience in two years. Those figures are ABC-reported Nielsen and Talkwalker measurements, not an independent analysis of the season’s ratings.
American Idol Season 23 judges and host
| Role | Season 23 participant | What changed or continued |
|---|---|---|
| Judge | Carrie Underwood | New to the panel; former Season 4 winner |
| Judge | Luke Bryan | Returning judge |
| Judge | Lionel Richie | Returning judge |
| Host | Ryan Seacrest | Returning host; not a judge |
Underwood replaced Katy Perry, who was not part of the Season 23 judging panel. Bryan and Richie returned for their eighth consecutive seasons on ABC. Seacrest remained the host.
When did American Idol Season 23 premiere?
The official two-hour Season 23 premiere aired on Sunday, March 9, 2025, from 8:00 to 10:01 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time on ABC. However, ABC also broadcast a special preview after The Oscars on March 2.
That distinction explains the two March dates often attached to the season:
- March 2, 2025: Post-Oscars preview, labeled by ABC Press as “801 (Post Oscars: Auditions).” It introduced the new panel and featured auditions.
- March 9, 2025: Official Season 23 premiere, labeled “802 (Season Premiere: Auditions).”
The March 2 broadcast was part of the season’s rollout, but it was not the regular season premiere. The season concluded with the live finale on May 18.
American Idol Season 23 schedule and competition format
Season 23 followed the familiar path from auditions through Hollywood Week and the live finalist rounds, while adding several themed performances and guest appearances.
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Auditions and Hollywood Week
Auditions began with the post-Oscars preview and continued through March 30. Contestants then moved into Hollywood Week, including episodes built around the “Idol Arena” and “Showstopper” stages.
The season later moved through head-to-head rounds before establishing the Top 24. Jelly Roll served as the season’s artist in residence, appearing during the Hollywood Week and live-performance portions of the competition.
The Top 24 in Hawaii
The Top 24 performed at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Ko Olina, Hawaii. Nationwide voting began during the first Top 24 episode, making this an important transition from producer- and judge-led selection to audience voting.
Top 14 themes
The Top 14 performed songs connected with iconic American Idol moments before taking on a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame theme. These rounds combined familiar franchise history with broader genre-based performances.
Later themed rounds
Subsequent episodes included “Ladies’ Night,” the “Judge’s Song Contest,” and two Disney-themed episodes connected with Disneyland Resort. The season’s episode descriptions also identified guest mentors and performers including Ashanti, Josh Groban, James Taylor, CeCe Winans, Brandon Lake, Miranda Lambert, Fantasia, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
How did the Judge’s Song Contest work?
In the “Judge’s Song Contest,” each of the Top 8 performed a song secretly selected by one of the three judges: Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, or Carrie Underwood. The contestants did not know which judge had chosen their song.
America’s vote reduced the group to six contestants. The judges then saved one additional contestant, producing a Top 7. This format gave the public the primary role in determining the next group while preserving one judge-selected save.
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What happened in the Disney rounds?
The Disney rounds used a two-stage elimination structure:
- The Top 7 performed first, after which the field was reduced to five.
- The Top 5 performed twice while America voted to determine the three finalists.
Those three finalists—Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix—then performed in the grand finale before the live winner announcement.
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During its original broadcast run, American Idol Season 23 aired on ABC and was made available on Hulu the following day. That was the distribution arrangement ABC announced for the regular season.
If you want to watch American Idol Season 23 on Hulu, check Hulu’s current catalog first. Streaming libraries change, and the latest availability check associated with this article did not establish a permanent current listing for every Season 23 episode. ABC’s currently surfaced program page has also displayed material from a later season rather than a dedicated Season 23 episode index.
For viewers looking for a live broadcast of a future American Idol season, ABC access depends on your location, television provider, and the availability of an appropriate live-TV service. That is separate from confirming on-demand access to completed Season 23 episodes.
Production details
American Idol is produced by Fremantle and 19 Entertainment, a Sony Pictures Television company, for ABC. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide. Season 23 executive producers included Megan Wolflick, who also served as showrunner, along with Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman.
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| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Franchise season | 23rd overall |
| ABC season | Eighth ABC season |
| Preview | March 2, 2025, after The Oscars |
| Official premiere | March 9, 2025 |
| Finale | May 18, 2025 |
| Winner | Jamal Roberts |
| Finalists | Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix |
| Judges | Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie |
| Host | Ryan Seacrest |
| Artist in residence | Jelly Roll |
| Original distribution | ABC, with next-day Hulu availability announced during the season |
What is not yet confirmed?
The season’s winner, judging panel, schedule, finalists, format, and original ABC/Hulu distribution are confirmed. However, several post-season details should not be assumed:
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- Current Hulu availability for every Season 23 episode can change and requires a fresh catalog check.
- A permanent DVD or other physical-media release has not been established by the available research.
- Current recording, touring, or other post-show plans for every finalist should be verified through official artist or program announcements.
- The existence of a contestant on the show does not by itself confirm a specific merchandise, music, or retail release.
In short, Season 23 is no longer an upcoming season: it began with a March 2 preview, officially premiered on March 9, and ended with Jamal Roberts’ live victory on May 18, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won American Idol Season 23?
Jamal Roberts won American Idol Season 23. ABC announced his victory during the live finale on May 18, 2025.
Who were the American Idol Season 23 finalists?
The Season 23 finalists were Jamal Roberts, John Foster, and Breanna Nix.
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What was the difference between the March 2 preview and the March 9 premiere?
The official two-hour premiere aired March 9, 2025. ABC showed a post-Oscars audition preview on March 2, but that preview was separate from the regular premiere.
Who were the judges on American Idol Season 23?
Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie were the judges. Ryan Seacrest returned as host. Katy Perry was not part of the Season 23 panel.
Where can I watch American Idol Season 23?
The season originally aired on ABC, with episodes announced as available on Hulu the following day. Current Hulu availability is subject to catalog changes and should be checked directly before watching.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Jamal Roberts won American Idol Season 23 on May 18, 2025. Carrie Underwood joined Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie as a judge, Ryan Seacrest returned as host, and the season’s official premiere followed a March 2 post-Oscars preview on March 9. ABC aired the season, with next-day Hulu streaming announced during the original run; current episode availability should be checked before viewing.
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