American Idol has crowned the season 23 winner: Jamal Roberts! The Mississippi native first made his mark during the audition round when he sang "Mary Jane" by Rick James, earning him a "yes" from all three judges — including former champ Carrie Underwood — and a ticket to Hollywood.

Jamal Roberts, a 27-year-old crooner from Meridian, Mississippi, beat out fellow finalists John Foster and Breanna Nix to take home this season’s top prize. It was a tough contest. After Nix was eliminated midway through the grand finale episode,