American idol 2025 winner: Jamal Roberts clinches the winning trophy, how much does he take home in prize money

To close out the season, a 27-year-old Meridian, Mississippi, physical education teacher defeated fellow finalists Breanna Nix and John Foster in the eagerly awaited final on Sunday.

American Idol season 23's finale was held on May 18 and Jamal Roberts has been crowned as the winner.

On Sunday, the 27-year-old P.E. teacher from Meridian, Mississippi clinched the title during Sunday‘s season finale, where he faced off against fellow finalists Breanna Nix and John Foster.

To close out the season, a 27-year-old Meridian, Mississippi, physical education teacher defeated fellow finalists Breanna Nix and John Foster in the eagerly awaited final on Sunday.

With a moving performance of Anthony Hamilton's "Her Heart," Jamal cemented his triumph. Following his victory, Roberts performed on the songs "First Time" by TEEKS and "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by The Temptations. The competition was more fierce than ever during the 23rd season finale of the show, which featured a star-studded cast. The top three contestants had less than three hours to win over the audience and earn their votes.

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According to host Ryan Seacrest, over 26 million votes were cast for this year's finale, more than twice as many as for the previous one. This is the most votes ever cast for a season finale since the show's 2018 switch to ABC.

In addition to giving their last solo performances, the finalists joined the Top 14 competitors for a thrilling group performance during the grand finale. With a stirring group rendition of Queen's well-known anthem "We Are the Champions," the live performance got off to a great start.

As per previous year's Newsweek report, the ultimate winner secures a  record contract with Hollywood Records. Jamal will, therefore, receive $125,000 and an additional $100,000 after he completes an entire album, for a total of $250,000.

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Newsweek also claimed that American Idol winners are usually given a recording budget of up to $300,000 to create their debut album. But since this money is given in advance, the winner is supposed to pay it back with their future earnings.

Since the first seasons of the show, this financial arrangement has mostly not changed, with only slight modifications made over time to reflect inflation.