As a former American Idol winner herself, Carrie Underwood has a special perspective on what words of wisdom a newly-crowned champ most needs to hear.
So when Jamal Roberts’ name was called as the big winner during the Season 23 finale on Sunday night (May 18), Underwood shared a message to him that was so simple and powerful, she only needed three words to convey it.
“I got to tell him afterwards, I was like, ‘Now go do great things,'” Underwood told Extra TV after the finale.
Roberts and his fellow finalists, John Foster and Breanna Nix, were all in similar situations to Underwood’s own, back when she was a finalist-turned-winner on Idol as a budding artist in 2005.
All of them had talent, but their platforms were modest. Now, the show is giving them a springboard to accomplish their wildest musical dreams.
Read More: Carrie Underwood Taps Cody Johnson for an American Idol Finale Surprise
“With Jamal, with John, with Breanna, I’m like, ‘This is who the show is for,'” Underwood elaborates. “Everybody had, you know, small followings on Instagram or whatever, but it wasn’t like they had been doing this for years.”
This season marked Underwood’s first as a judge on American Idol, as well as the 20th anniversary since she won the show. Its episodes were filled with throwbacks to Underwood’s own Idol days: In one, she wore the very same dress that she had on when she won the competition.
In addition to serving as a judge on the finale episode, Underwood also performed with Top 5 finalist Slater Nalley. They sang a rendition of “I’m Gonna Love You,” Underwood’s hit duet with Cody Johnson, and Johnson himself came out as a surprise guest in the middle of the performance.
There’s no official word yet on whether Underwood will be back as a judge on forthcoming seasons of American Idol.
20 Things Carrie Underwood Has Done Since Winning ‘American Idol’
Carrie Underwood has been, well, busy since winning Season 4 of American Idol in 2005. Since the confetti fell, the country singer has released nine albums and embarked on seven tours. She’s also tried her hand at acting and launched a handful of businesses.
Over the years she’s become one of the biggest success stories to come out of the show, winning countless awards and amassing a staggering net worth of over $100 million.
Keep scrolling to see 20 things Underwood has done since her time on the reality singing competition.
