In less than a year, Jamal Roberts has gone from being an elementary school gym teacher in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, to not only winning “American Idol” season 23 but also earning a Grammy nomination.
On November 7, 2025 — one day after Roberts’ 28th birthday — the soul singer learned he and Jonathan McReynolds have been nominated for a coveted 2026 Grammy Award in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category for their live rendition of “Still.”
Posting a social media image of them performing the song together, Roberts wrote, “Woaahhhhhhh did I just hear #STILL was nominated for a Grammy 🙌🏾🙌🏾🔥🔥🔥God Keeps Showing Out!!!!!!!”
Jamal Roberts & Jonathan McReynolds Brought the House Down With ‘Still’ in August 2025
In July, Mississippi-born Gospel singer McReynolds brought Roberts onstage during a concert in Chicago to collaborate on his new song “Still.” The result, according to This is R&B, is a “soul-stirring gospel worship ballad” that “carries an undeniable energy,” building from McReynold’s soft delivery of the first verses to a powerful testimony filled with gratitude and awe.
The performance became a single on McReynold’s September album release, “Closer.” Days after its release, he shared a video taken from the audience of Roberts “going off and then RUNNING off” the stage at the end of the song.
McReynolds captioned the video, “Proof there were no edits! People wondered if Jamal’s mic cut off at the end. Na! He made a Pentecostal exit! 🏃🏾♂️💨”
One fan hilariously replied, “LISTEN!!! When the Holy Ghost hits you like that, the only thing you can do, is RUN!!! 🔥🙌🏽🏃🏾♂️😭😇”
Supporters Showered Jamal Roberts With Love After His Grammy Nod
Fans, peers, and members of Roberts’ support team celebrated his huge milestone, expressing their pride and excitement on social media. The “American Idol” social media account shared the news in a post and commented on Roberts’ post, “Better believe it!! 🙌 The first of many more to come 🔥”
One thrilled fan wrote, “Yessssssssss🔥❤️I knew it I knew it. The moment I heard this song it was a grammy winning song. My favorite gospel song right now. Its been on repeat since it came out🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾🥹”
The 2026 Grammys will be held in Los Angeles on February 1, with the Recording Academy voting on the winners. The other nominees in the Best Gospel Performance/Song category are:
- “Do It Again” by Kirk Franklin
- “Church” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard and John Legend
- “Amen” by Pastor Mike Jr.
- “Come Jesus Come” by Cece Winans Featuring Shirley Caesar
Jamal Roberts is Only the 6th ‘American Idol’ Winner to Be Nominated for a Grammy
DisneyRoberts joins the ranks of only a handful of “American Idol” winners who’ve received Grammy nominations since the show began in 2002: Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, and Jordin Sparks.
Clarkson, who won the first season of the show, and Studdard, who won the second, were the first “American Idol” winners to be nominated for Grammys, both in 2004, according to Grammy organizers.
Neither won that year, but in 2006, Clarkson became the first “American Idol” winner to win a Grammy when she received two — Best Pop Vocal Album for “Breakaway” and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” for her hit song ‘Since U Been Gone.”
I Believe That When The Holy Spirit Does A Takeover Then God Receives All The Glory!! Thank You Johnathan And Jamal, Love ❤️ Still And Y’all ❤️ Family!