Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Sunday night season finale of American Idol.
American Idol has a new winner.
Jamal Roberts was voted as the Season 23 finale by fans of the ABC singing competition. Host Ryan Seacrest said there were 26 million votes cast, which broke a record and was twice as many as for last year’s finale.
Roberts is the first Black man to win the singing competition since Ruben Studdard was crowned champ of Season 2, which aired in 2003.
John Foster was the runner-up, with Breanna Nix coming in third.
The finale also featured several performers, including Jessica Simpson, Good Charlotte, Salt-N-Papa, Kirk Franklin, Jennifer Holliday, Patti LaBelle, Goo Goo Dolls and more.
In addition, the top three finalists performed duets during the live broadcast Roberts sang with Jelly Roll, Foster performed with judge Luke Bryan, and Nix sang with Brandon Lake.
Along with Bryan, the show’s judges include Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood, a first-time judge who won Season 4. Underwood replaced Katy Perry on the judges’ panel this season.
