“If I had another girl, she’d be Melody”: American Idol’s Jamal Roberts on naming his daughters after music
American Idol season 23 contestant Jamal Roberts recently performed on episode 16, which premiered on ABC on May 5. Jamal was among the top eight contestants entering the episode, and by the end of it, he made it to the Top 7, advancing to the next round.
In an interview with Parade, published on May 5, Jamal revealed that he named both of his daughters after music: Harmoni, 6, and Lyrik, 3. However, he joked that he had to argue with their mother to make it happen.
The American Idol contestant noted that even before he had kids, he was sure that he would name them after music, expressing his love for the art form. He even has two names lined up for his future daughters: Melody and Symphony.
The singer further emphasized how much he loved his daughters and stated that they were the reasons why he is on the show and working hard to keep a smile on their faces.
“I always said, even before I had kids, that I was going to name my kids after music. If I had another girl, she would be Melody. And then I had thought about Symphony, all these beautiful names."
He added:
"I love my daughters. They are my world, my life. They’re the reason I'm here and working so hard to keep smiles on those little faces.”
American Idol star Jamal Roberts on his next song and the coaches
American Idol season 23 contestant Jamal Roberts had made a unique impression on the judges and the viewers the moment he performed for his auditions. He has a deep love for music and has been singing since the age of two.
In his interview with Parade, the singer shared that his grandparents inspired him to pursue the art form by urging him to attend Sunday morning services.
With the initial push, Jamal grew up singing Michael Jackson and The Temptations’ songs.
Jamal is hopeful that he'll get the chance to perform a song by The Temptations and said he’ll do his best to make it happen.
It’s not just his own wish—he shared that many American Idol viewers and friends have encouraged him to bring one of their songs to the stage.
The 27-year-old PE teacher hails from Meridian, Mississippi. Ever since his appearance on the singing competition show, he has been receiving a lot of encouraging messages from his students.
He believes it has made him more focused, seeing how they were looking up to him.
Jamal also shared that he never wanted to leave Meridian, having grown fond of the city’s easygoing, traffic-free lifestyle.
"“I never wanted to move out of Meridian, actually,” he says when asked why he didn’t relocate somewhere where it would be easier to launch his music career. “I’m not a fan of traffic; Meridian doesn’t have traffic," he said.
The American Idol season 23 contestant continued:
"You don’t have to wait hours to eat. Things like that that just became normal for me. When you go out of town, things are different. But growing up, I had a good experience in Meridian. Now, it’s not like it used to be. It’s changed, but I believe it can get back, and I believe I can help it get that was.”"
Further in the interview, Jamal shared that besides the advice and feedback he gets from the judges, he is also grateful for the help he receives from the behind-the-scenes vocal coaches.
The singer stated that he has the "best coaches in the world" and shared how they help him push himself to his full potential.
Watch new episodes of American Idol season 23 every Sunday-Monday on ABC. Viewers can stream them on Hulu a day later.
