From Gentle Ballad to Country Swagger: Jamal Roberts Delivers a Double Dose of Heart on American Idol!

Jamal Roberts, a Meridian native, soared through “American Idol’s” “Hollywood Week” performances Monday night, March 31, securing his spot as more than half of the 144 contestants were sent home.

Roberts, a 26-year-old P.E. teacher at Crestwood Elementary, passed audition rounds during last week’s episode, officially joining “American Idol” season 23.

Monday night, Roberts stepped into the “Idol Arena” and wowed judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood with a passionate performance of Anthony Hamilton’s “Her Heart.”

A video package that played before the performance opens with Roberts casting a fishing line in his hometown.

“This is where I was born and raised,” Roberts says in a voice over. “Everything is not peaches and cream. There’s a lot of crime and all that going on. Things are getting worse. People are scared to even open up their mouth, because somebody’s going to point a gun at them because they said the wrong thing. Some days you don’t even want to come outside.”

“It could be a whole lot better than what it is,” Roberts says in the voice over. “So, I’m hoping that I can bring a little light to it.”

Roberts also said he hopes he can inspire his students.

“I hope the kids sees me as an inspiration and learn to be themselves,” he said. “With ‘American Idol,’ man, it’s a dream. At one point in time, I never thought I was good enough. I’m hoping to shine a light and show people that if you keep pushing, keep doing the right thing, do good and good will always come back to you … God gave everybody a gift.”More on Roberts’ American Idol journey: Meridian man wins golden ticket, joins ‘American Idol’ season 23. See his audition round

The judges and audience were visibly moved by Roberts’ performance Monday night, giving the singer a standing ovation.

When Roberts first auditioned, the three judges were impressed, but said Roberts could use some more confidence. Monday night, he showed them that extra confidence and then some.

“Somewhere between the last time we heard you and now, God has anointed you with something so fantastic,” Richie said after Roberts performed. “That was a brilliant performance.”

The cuts continue on American Idol as coaches Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan weed through the Hollywood Week performances with the goal of figuring out the Top 24 for Season 8 on ABC (Season 23 overall).

After Sunday night’s “Hollywood Week: Showstopper” 62 performances, only four artists were named as part of the Top2 4: Mattie Pruitt, Zaylie Windsor, Gabby Samone, and Platinum Ticket holder Canaan James Hill.

Several others were eliminated, and the remaining 42 artists will perform duets on Monday night’s head-to-head episode, including 27-year-old PE Teacher Jamal Roberts from Meridian MS, who took a chance with a country song that paid off.

“I’m doing ‘Tennessee Whiskey’ by Chris Stapleton,” he told the audience assembled at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. “It’s different. Country singer. Not used to it. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone. I want them to see that I have the potential to be the next American Idol, so I’m pulling out all the stops here. I’m doing this for my daughters. I want to show them whatever you put your mind to, you can achieve it.”

For “Showstopper” night, the judges didn’t critique the artists, who had to wait until all 62 of them had performed to get the results. But we did get to hear a little bit of what they said to each other.

Luke said, “He missed one or two. He didn’t get all the way there.”