Jamal Roberts won American Idol Season 23 on May 18, 2025. John Foster finished second and Breanna Nix third. ABC’s finale drew more than 26 million votes, according to the network.
Who finished in the Season 23 top three?
| Place | Contestant | Background reported before the finale |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Jamal Roberts | ABC News described Roberts as a 27-year-old physical education teacher from Meridian, Mississippi. |
| Runner-up | John Foster | ABC News described Foster as an 18-year-old college student from Addis, Louisiana. |
| Third place | Breanna Nix | ABC News identified Nix as a Denton, Texas native. |
ABC’s episode archive identifies the May 18 broadcast as episode 819, “Grand Finale,” and calls it the season finale. The network’s own seasonal count refers to the show’s eighth season on ABC; entertainment coverage calls it franchise-wide Season 23. ABC’s episode archive and ABC News’ results report use these contexts.
How the finale unfolded
The live broadcast opened with Foster, Roberts and Nix singing Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” Artist-in-residence Jelly Roll mentored the finalists. Nix was eliminated first, leaving Foster and Roberts as the final two.
Roberts performed Tom Odell’s “Heal” during the finale. After he was declared the winner, he performed Anthony Hamilton’s “Her Heart”; “Heal” was also presented as his new single. These were separate moments in the broadcast, not competing accounts of one performance. Forbes’ finale recap reports the post-win song and single, while ABC News reports the “Heal” performance.
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The finale also featured performances by the judges and 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, according to Forbes.
What the finale’s voting and audience figures mean
ABC said the finale received more than 26 million votes, a new voting record on ABC. The network did not publish individual contestant totals or Roberts’ share, so that figure does not reveal the margin between him and Foster.
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- 6.51 million viewers: Nielsen Live+Same Day audience for the finale, as reported by ABC. This is not a cross-platform total that includes all later or streaming viewing.
- 0.72 Adults 18–49 rating: Nielsen’s rating for that demographic, not a percentage of all viewers.
- 2.54 million social interactions: Talkwalker SCR data for the finale, as reported by ABC.
ABC said the finale was up 24% in total viewers from the preceding week and was the show’s most-watched telecast in two years, based on Nielsen Live+Same Day ratings for May 18, 2025. These audience measures are distinct from the vote count. ABC’s ratings release provides the network-reported figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Roberts and the finalists said afterward
ABC News reproduced a post-finale Instagram caption in which Roberts wrote: “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.” In remarks quoted by ABC7 Los Angeles’ On The Red Carpet, he said, “I won for my kids. I won for my hometown. I won for the state of Mississippi.”
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Luke Bryan, one of the judges, praised Roberts in the same ABC affiliate report: “If you’re going to have 20 facets of singing, he has all 20 of them. And if you add five more, which is emotions, all the five, he’s got all that, too.” The praise is Bryan’s assessment, not an official scoring breakdown.
ABC affiliate coverage also quoted Foster saying the competition gave him what he needed for a country music career, while Nix said she was content with her finish. ABC7 Los Angeles / On The Red Carpet reported those comments.
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