When Jamal Roberts stepped onto the American Idol stage during the 2025 auditions, no one quite knew what to anticipate. The 37-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, appeared unassuming — dressed in a plain navy hoodie, worn sneakers, and carrying a quiet, humble smile. But what unfolded moments later left the entire room, including the judges, on their feet in awe.
Roberts, who works as a warehouse supervisor and is a devoted single father to his six-year-old daughter Maya, performed an original piece titled “First Light.” The heartfelt song was a tribute to the small, everyday moments he shares with Maya — from packing lunchboxes and morning hugs to bedtime lullabies — moments that, as he puts it, “feel like little miracles” since becoming a father.
“I never imagined myself here,” Roberts shared softly before his performance. “Every night before Maya goes to sleep, she asks, ‘Daddy, sing me something I’ve never heard before.’ So I started writing — just for her. And now, here I am, doing this… for her.”
The reaction was immediate and electric.
Lionel Richie called the song “a modern classic,” praising Roberts’ storytelling and comparing it to the timeless sincerity of Bill Withers. Katy Perry, visibly moved, wiped away tears and said, “You didn’t just perform — you invited us into your world, and it’s beautiful.” Luke Bryan simply smiled and nodded, adding, “That’s the kind of dad I aspire to be.”
Roberts’ golden ticket moment was made even sweeter by a video call backstage with little Maya. “Daddy, did you win the thingy?” she asked with excitement. Roberts grinned, replying, “Not yet, baby — but we’re off to a great start.”
Since that audition aired, clips of Roberts’ performance have gone viral, amassing over 18 million views on TikTok and YouTube. Parents nationwide have flooded the comments, calling his song “a love letter to fatherhood” and thanking him for sharing his journey.
Fans online have already nicknamed him “America’s Dad,” with many following his Idol run as much for his heartfelt story as for his music. Incredibly, a GoFundMe launched by a viewer raised $40,000 within just two days to support his future music career.
Despite the sudden wave of attention, Roberts stays grounded.
“I still get up every morning, wake Maya, pack her lunch, and walk her to the bus stop,” he said in a post-show interview. “American Idol is an amazing dream — but being her dad, that’s the dream I never even knew I needed.”
As he prepares for Hollywood Week, Roberts is already writing new songs — with a little help from Maya. Laughing, he shared, “She came up with a new chorus idea for me: ‘You’re my favorite song, even when you sing off-key.’”
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