Jamal Roberts Steals the Spotlight: A Star Is Born on The Boy Is Mine Tour

When Brandy and Monica took the stage at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on October 15, 2025, to kick off their long-awaited The Boy Is Mine Tour, the air crackled with nostalgia for their 1998 duet that defined a generation. Fans packed the 17,000-seat venue, ready to relive R&B’s golden era with hits like “Have You Ever” and “Angel of Mine.” But the night’s true revelation wasn’t the headliners’ harmony—it was their opener, Jamal Roberts, the 28-year-old American Idol Season 23 champion, whose soulful ballads and electrifying live debut of his single “Nothing Compares to You” turned a warm-up act into a coronation, leaving the crowd roaring and a new R&B star etched in their hearts.

An unexpected star ignites the stage.
Roberts, born November 6, 1997, in Meridian, Mississippi, stepped into the spotlight with the quiet confidence of a church choir leader, his lanky frame draped in a simple black jacket and jeans, his gospel-rooted voice a velvet thunderclap. Fresh off his May 2025 Idol win—the first Black male champion since Ruben Studdard in 2003—he’d already captured millions with his audition cover of Rick James’ “Mary Jane” and finale rendition of The Isley Brothers’ “Shout.” But Atlanta was his proving ground. Opening with a stripped-down “Heal” by Tom Odell, his voice—equal parts Sam Cooke silk and Jelly Roll grit—hushed the arena, phones lowering as fans leaned in. By the time he launched into “Nothing Compares to You,” his unreleased single co-written with Babyface, the crowd was on its feet, a standing ovation erupting before the final note. “It was like Otis Redding reborn,” tweeted a fan, the clip racking 10 million views on X. #JamalStealsTheShow trended No. 1 globally, amassing 8 million mentions by midnight.

“Nothing Compares to You” redefines the night.
The debut of “Nothing Compares to You” was the moment that broke the internet. Co-produced by The-Dream and backed by a live band with horns evoking Stax Records, the track—a soaring ballad about love’s enduring ache—blended Roberts’ gospel runs with R&B’s modern pulse. “When you’re gone, no star shines bright / Nothing compares to you,” he sang, eyes closed, hands raised like a preacher mid-sermon. The lyrics, inspired by his wife and daughters—Harmoni, Lyrik, and Gianna Grace—hit like a personal vow. “I wrote it for my girls, for every heart that’s lost someone,” he told Billboard post-show. The crowd’s reaction was visceral: couples swayed, strangers hugged, and Brandy herself, watching side-stage, nodded with a smile, later tweeting: “Jamal’s voice? A gift from God. 🙏” Monica, equally floored, posted: “Kid, you didn’t open—you owned.” Streams of the single, rush-released on Spotify post-show, surged 1,200%, hitting Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 12 by October 16.

From Meridian pews to arena dreams.
Roberts’ ascent is pure American grit. Raised by a single mom in Meridian’s church choirs, he dodged poverty’s pull, coaching P.E. at Crestwood Elementary while gigging at local bars. His Idol journey, sparked by a colleague’s dare, saw him win 26 million votes with covers like Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” and a Jelly Roll duet on “Save Me.” His authenticity—father to three, unapologetic about his “untraditional” family amid tabloid jabs—resonated. “I’m no polished pop star,” he told Rolling Stone. “I’m Mississippi mud—real, raw, ready.” His Idol prize ($250,000) funded his foundation, supporting school music programs, but opening for Brandy and Monica—R&B queens whose 1998 feud over “The Boy Is Mine” became legend—was his rocket fuel. Selected after a viral Facebook Live defending his family, Roberts prepared in weeks, his setlist a nod to his roots: gospel, R&B, a hint of country twang. “Brandy and Monica gave me their stage,” he said. “I gave it my soul.”

A crowd united by a singular voice.
The Atlanta opener wasn’t just a performance—it was a communion. As Roberts transitioned from “Heal” to a cover of Monica’s “For You I Will,” the arena became a sanctuary, fans lighting phones like candles. A group of Gen Zers in the pit waved “Jamal’s Our Idol” signs; a vet in row 20 saluted during “Nothing Compares.” When he paused mid-set to dedicate it to “every kid who feels unseen,” referencing his own bullying for singing “too soulful” in school, tears fell. A fan video captured a mother sobbing: “He sang my pain away.” The energy carried into Brandy and Monica’s set, their duet on “The Boy Is Mine” feeling like a torch-passing to Roberts’ fresh fire. “He’s the future,” Brandy told the crowd, inviting him for an impromptu encore jam on “Almost Doesn’t Count.” The clip? 15 million views on TikTok, fans dubbing it “R&B’s holy trinity.”

The industry and fans crown a new king.
The internet erupted like a festival finale. #JamalRoberts trended alongside #BoyIsMineTour, fans stitching clips of “Nothing Compares” with Brandy’s “Sittin’ Up in My Room.” Carrie Underwood tweeted: “Jamal’s voice is country’s cousin—pure heart. Proud!” P!nk posted: “Alecia here—that kid’s a comet. Shine on.” Even Cardi B, whose $10 million donation to Roberts’ foundation broke news days later, teased: “Heard him in Atlanta—my check’s just the start.” His Idol mentor Fantasia called it “a star’s baptism.” Streams of his catalog—covers and originals—spiked 900%, with Interscope fast-tracking his 2026 EP. Critics raved: Variety called him “the soul R&B’s been starving for.” Merch sales—hoodies with “Nothing Compares” lyrics—netted $500,000 overnight, half donated to No Kid Hungry.

A legacy launched in one night.
In a 2025 world of tempests—tariff wars, cultural rifts—Roberts’ Atlanta triumph was a beacon. His recent Madison Square Garden “God Bless America” stand, uniting a fractured crowd, foreshadowed this moment: a voice that heals, not divides. “Music’s my church,” he told Essence backstage, cradling Gianna. “Brandy and Monica gave me the altar.” As fans chanted his name, he lingered, signing a teen’s poster: “Keep singing your truth.” The Boy Is Mine Tour, hitting Miami next (October 25), now carries a new star’s glow. Nostalgia was the promise, but Jamal Roberts delivered rebirth. From Meridian’s pews to Atlanta’s pulse, he didn’t just open—he owned the night, proving one voice can rewrite history. In screams of applause, a star was born—and the world’s still singing his name.