"You make it fit you" — American Idol judge Carrie Underwood on Jamal Roberts' head-turning Disney performance

Season 23 of American Idol aired a new episode on May 11, 2025, where the Top 7 sang Disney-themed songs to earn a spot in the coveted Top 5. One of those hopefuls was Jamal Roberts, who sang Go the Distance from the film Hercules. He connected with the lyrics and thought it symbolized his journey. While commenting on his performance, Carrie Underwood said:

"Throughout your journey with us, I feel like with every theme we throw at you, um, every song you tackle, you always find a way to put yourself in it. You make it your own, you make it fit you."

She continued:

"This could be, I mean, singing any kind of genre of music that you're not used to singing, could be difficult for anybody, but you just make it look easy, and you, like I said, you make it fit you."

The 27-year-old P.E. teacher and father of three from Meridian, Mississippi, earned applause and a standing ovation from all three American Idol judges, each praising his ability to take on any genre and execute with perfection. Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan echoed Carrie's sentiments, complimenting Jamal's growth on the show.

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"R&B voice of the Gods" — American Idol guest judge Lin-Manuel Miranda comments on Jamal Roberts' vocals during rehearsal

For the May 11 episode, the contestants were joined by guest judge Lin-Manuel Miranda, who mentored and guided them through their rehearsals, telling them how they could improve their performance. When Jamal met Lin-Manuel, he told him he would perform Go the Distance from Hercules.

As soon as the American Idol singer began singing, Lin-Manuel was pleasantly surprised to hear his voice. He took to a confessional to say:

"Jamal has an R&B voice of the Gods. It's really a remarkable gift, and he knows how to use it."

He exclaimed, "Holy cow"! after listening to Jamal's rendition of the Hercules song as passersby cheered and applauded for the singer. Lin-Manuel praised the American Idol singer, saying his act was "really really beautiful." When he asked Jamal why he picked the song, he said that the lyrics of the song spoke to him "in a different way."

Jamal explained that he had been in "some very dark places" in his life, so through the song, he wanted to showcase his persistence and that he was still trying "so hard."

"I feel a connection to the words. I've been a dreamer. I wanted to do this singing thing since I was a kid. I can see myself in this Hercules story. Hercules was strong, but he had some weak moments, but I mean, he still finished strong," Jamal explained.

Lin-Manuel appreciated the thought behind the song choice and said he could not think of a better song to mirror Jamal's life journey and describe where he was in the competition. While speaking to the American Idol cameras, he noted that Jamal was "smart" in choosing the song because, like Hercules, Jamal was "this close from going the distance."

He then advised Jamal to connect with the song and convey his feelings to the crowd. Meanwhile, Jamal confessed that he had never imagined he would be at this stage in the competition, however, he was starting to believe.

After he performed on stage, the American Idol panelists gave him a standing ovation. While commenting on his act, Luke Bryan said:

"You just got the special stuff, man, and you're always able to really channel it, and even, like, take a Hercules song and just take it to the next level, and that's what you just did."

Lionel chimed in, praising Jamal's ability to perform any song and make it "bigger."

After the nationwide votes came in, host Ryan Seacrest announced that Jamal had made it into the Top 5 of American Idol, while Gabby Samone and Mattie Pruitt were sent home.

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