“Where Were You Then?”—Jamal Roberts Faces Shocking Reunion as Estranged Mother Suddenly Returns! Idol Star Breaks Silence in Raw, Emotional Confrontation That Leaves Fans Reeling—What Really Happened Between Them, and Will He Forgive? Exclusive Details Inside the Family Drama Everyone’s Talking About—How Will This Change Jamal’s Life?

Even though many contestants on American Idol share personal stories, season 23 winner Jamal Roberts kept his deepest pain hidden—until now. The 27-year-old soul singer from Meridian, Mississippi, is finally opening up about the struggles that shaped him and the heartbreak behind the voice that moved millions.

Just two weeks after being crowned the winner, Jamal sat down with Willie Moore Jr. on The Love You Moore Show for a powerful and emotional interview. He shared what it was like growing up without his biological mother and how that pain still lingers in his heart today.

Jamal said that his dad got full custody of him and his older brother when they were just toddlers—his brother was four, and Jamal was only two. After that, their mom was completely out of the picture.

“I’m not trying to hurt anybody,” Jamal said softly, “but when it’s your story, it’s your story.”

He was raised by his stepmom, Tabitha, and his grandmother. Tabitha played a huge role in his life and supported him in every way. Jamal even honored her during the 2025 Mother’s Day episode of Idol, revealing that she sadly passed away during the COVID pandemic.

But even with the love he got from Tabitha, the feeling of being abandoned by his birth mother never went away.

“I always wondered, ‘Why isn’t my mom here?’” Jamal said. “Now that I’m a dad, I can’t imagine just letting my kids go. I would fight. I wouldn’t give up. So how did she get comfortable enough to let us slip away like that?”

“She Only Came Back After I Won”

What made it harder for Jamal was that his mom later had more children—but never came back for him and his brother.

“We were still with my dad,” he said. “So I’m thinking, were we not good enough? What did we do to make her leave us and go start a new family?”

The hurt turned into something people could feel in every note he sang. “I pulled from abandonment,” Jamal said. “I felt like I was left behind.”

Even though his dad wasn’t very affectionate, his stepmom filled that gap. “She believed in me,” he said. “When I didn’t believe in myself, she was always there saying, ‘You can do it.’”

After Jamal’s American Idol win, things got even more emotional. He shared that his mom—who hadn’t been around for most of his life—suddenly showed up again. And it hurt even more.

“She came back after I won,” he said, his voice shaking. “Not for me… for the money.”

His words sparked a wave of support from fans, who flooded social media with love and outrage. They praised Jamal for being brave enough to share something so painful and called out the timing of his mother’s return.

Moving On, Without All the Answers

Despite everything, Jamal says he’s at peace. His mother is now in his life and spending time with his three daughters—Harmoni, Lyrik, and his youngest. She was even there at his first American Idol audition, cheering him on.

Still, Jamal said they’ve never had a real conversation about the past, and he’s okay with that.

“If she wanted me to know why she left, she would’ve told me by now,” he said. “She’s here now, and that’s enough. My life is my life. All those painful moments made me who I am. I don’t need to dig up the past anymore. I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.”