Jamal Roberts’ “American Idol” journey came full circle this week when he met a real-world idol, Stevie Wonder, during a radio interview stop in Los Angeles after performing on the ABC singing competition.
Wonder’s surprise visit came as Roberts was promoting his new single “Perfect for Me,” and the onetime Motown star dropped in unannounced to greet the young singer, embrace him and pose for photos in the studio, which Roberts highlighted on Instagram.
The surprise visit came as Motown fans marked the 60th anniversary of the singer’s breakout “Up-Tight (Everything’s Alright)” album, released on Motown’s Tamla label on May 4, 1966, and often cited as a turning point in Wonder’s and the Detroit label’s classic 1960s run.
Roberts has pointed to Wonder and the Motown sound as core influences on his gospel-infused R&B style, saying that growing up on Detroit soul shaped his approach to melody and performance on the Idol stage.
Roberts later wrote he was “still in a state of shock” that “the legendary Stevie Wonder came to meet me at my radio interview today because he’s a fan,” calling the encounter a dream come true for a singer raised on Motown hits. Wonder turns 76 next week.
As Detroit and Motown historians revisit the Up-Tight era that helped launch Wonder toward superstardom, Roberts’ meeting with his idol offered a living bridge between Hitsville U.S.A.’s 1960s legacy and a new generation of artists trying to carry that sound onto the national TV stage.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Stevie Wonder surprises ‘American Idol’ star Jamal Roberts in studio
Reporting by The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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