Fresh off his American Idol win and a breakout single topping the Billboard charts, Jamal Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about voices in music — not just for his powerful vocals, but for his powerful truth.

But this week, the 27-year-old soul singer from Meridian, Mississippi, took a brief pause from the spotlight to speak from the heart, responding to viral reactions to his candid remarks about his upbringing.

“I Was Just Sharing My Truth”

In a June 4 appearance on The Love You Moore Show, Roberts vulnerably recounted growing up without his mother after his parents separated when he was just two years old. His father gained full custody of him and his older brother, and his mother, Kim, became largely absent from his life — a wound that left him feeling, in his words, “abandoned.”

“I used to wonder why she didn’t fight for us,” Roberts told host Willie Moore Jr. “Especially when I saw she went on to have more kids.”

But he emphasized that the past is not where his story ends — revealing that he and his mother have reconnected in recent years. “We’re good now,” he said. “She’s back in my life.”

Facebook Live: “My Story Isn’t About Blame — It’s About Hope”

 

 
Jamal Roberts
 

 

After the interview sparked a wave of social media commentary — some of it critical — Roberts went live on Facebook from his Nashville hotel room, where he’s currently preparing for the 19 Recordings/BMG “Idol Takeover” tour. Over 3,500 viewers tuned in live, and tens of thousands have since replayed the video.

Addressing both the backlash and the unexpected support, Roberts urged fans not to attack his mom, and explained why he felt compelled to speak up in the first place.

“Everybody got something to say,” he said with a smile. “But if you’re waking up making long posts about something that don’t concern you — that says more about you than it does about me.”

Roberts made it clear: he wasn’t airing dirty laundry. He was offering a window into his journey — and testifying to the power of grace, healing, and faith.

“My story isn’t about pointing fingers,” he said. “It’s about saying: You can come out of anything. You’re not alone. And God will walk with you through every bit of it.”

“I’m Not the Only One”: Thousands Relate to His Story

In the days since the interview aired, Roberts has been flooded with messages from fans who’ve lived through similar experiences — children of divorce, broken homes, fractured relationships. The overwhelming response left him stunned.

“You know what I learned?” he said during the live stream. “I’m not the only one. So many people messaged me like, ‘I thought I was alone.’ And now they’re finding peace. They’re starting to heal. That’s the reason I spoke.”

His Mom Responds: “What May Be Tea for Some Is a Testimony for Me”

In a graceful and emotional gesture, Roberts’ mother Kim responded publicly with a powerful Facebook post of her own.

“GOOD MORNING … I’m not embarrassed about anything I went through. What may be tea for some, it is a testimony for me. If you’re gonna talk about what broke me, invite me to the table so I can tell you what God did with the pieces. #GodIsGood”

Her words echoed the same theme her son has been lifting up since his rise to fame: redemption.

“This Is Why People Don’t Tell Their Stories”

Roberts also used the livestream to call out the toxicity that often silences people who need to speak out.

“This is why folks don’t share their stories,” he said. “Because people twist it, turn it into drama, or take it out of context.”

But even amid the noise, he stayed centered — crediting his dad, stepmom, and grandparents for filling the gaps and shaping him into the man he is today.

“My mom’s not a bad person,” he said. “She went through her own battles. And God placed the right people in my life to help me through mine.”

“Heal”: The Song That Became His Anthem

Roberts’ emotional connection to the Tom Odell song “Heal” — which he performed on American Idol to standing ovations and tears — now resonates even more deeply.

“I chose that song because I’m healing,” he explained. “I’ve made peace with my past, I have both my parents in my life, and I want others to know they can do the same.”

The single has since rocketed to the top of multiple Billboard charts and has sparked conversations nationwide about emotional trauma, reconciliation, and mental health.

A Message to the People: “I Love Y’all, For Real”

Before signing off, Roberts left viewers with a heartfelt goodbye.

“I love y’all. I love y’all, for real. If you don’t hear it from nobody else — I love you.”

With a record deal from MCA, a national tour on the horizon, and his debut album “Cowboy Confessions” set for later this year, Roberts is riding a wave of career momentum — and anchoring it all in authenticity.

As he put it best: “My story is still being written.”