Jamal Roberts is Mississippi’s third winner from 11 finalists. California has 3 from 74
Jamal Roberts became Mississippi’s third winner in 2025. A state map of where Idol, Voice and X Factor finalists come from, and which states win.
Jamal Roberts · May 18, 2025
Photo: Flagswodum · CC0 1.0 · Photo source.
Jamal Roberts, from Meridian, Mississippi, won American Idol in 2025. Two months after the finale, Roberts released a single called Mississippi. Roberts is the state’s third winner from 11 finalists, after Trent Harmon on Idol in 2016 and Todd Tilghman on The Voice in 2020. California, with 74 finalists, has 3 winners.
This story maps the finalists of American Idol, The Voice and The X Factor by the hometown each show gave: which states send the most finalists and which have the most winners.
1
California, Texas, New York and Florida send the most finalists
California has 74 finalists across the three shows, Texas 59, New York 49 and Florida 48. Together they account for 230 of the 626 finalists from a U.S. state or Washington, D.C. Tennessee is fifth with 42.
Finalists come from 43 states and Washington, D.C. The first Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, is one of 59 finalists from Texas.
California sends the most finalists: 74
Finalists of American Idol, The Voice and The X Factor by home state. Darker tiles: more finalists. A gold dot per winner.
California: 74 finalists, 3 winners (Abi Carter, Alisan Porter, Chayce Beckham); Texas: 59 finalists, 5 winners (Aiden Ross, Danielle Bradbery, Kelly Clarkson, Maelyn Jarmon, Sundance Head); New York: 49 finalists, 5 winners (Carter Rubin, Jermaine Paul, Just Sam, Sawyer Fredericks, Sofronio Vasquez); Florida: 48 finalists, 4 winners (Adam David, Alex & Sierra, Cassadee Pope, Melanie Amaro); Tennessee: 42 finalists, 4 winners (Chloe Kohanski, Chris Blue, Craig Wayne Boyd, Jake Hoot); Georgia: 30 finalists, 2 winners (Bryce Leatherwood, Phillip Phillips); Illinois: 22 finalists, 2 winners (Gina Miles, Lee DeWyze); Pennsylvania: 22 finalists, 1 winner (Cam Anthony); Louisiana: 22 finalists, 1 winner (Laine Hardy); Alabama: 21 finalists, 4 winners (Alexia Jayy, Asher HaVon, Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks); North Carolina: 20 finalists, 3 winners (Caleb Johnson, Fantasia Barrino, Scotty McCreery); Michigan: 16 finalists, no winner; New Jersey: 15 finalists, no winner; Massachusetts: 14 finalists, 1 winner (Brynn Cartelli); Ohio: 14 finalists, 1 winner (Girl Named Tom); Washington: 13 finalists, no winner; Maryland: 13 finalists, no winner; Virginia: 12 finalists, 1 winner (Huntley); South Carolina: 12 finalists, 1 winner (Candice Glover); Mississippi: 11 finalists, 3 winners (Jamal Roberts, Todd Tilghman, Trent Harmon); Missouri: 10 finalists, 3 winners (David Cook, Hannah Harper, Tate Stevens); Arkansas: 9 finalists, 1 winner (Kris Allen); Indiana: 7 finalists, 1 winner (Josh Kaufman); Connecticut: 7 finalists, 2 winners (Javier Colon, Nick Fradiani); Kentucky: 7 finalists, 2 winners (Jordan Smith, Noah Thompson); Oklahoma: 7 finalists, 1 winner (Carrie Underwood); Minnesota: 6 finalists, no winner; Arizona: 6 finalists, 1 winner (Jordin Sparks); Hawaii: 6 finalists, 1 winner (Iam Tongi); Utah: 5 finalists, no winner; Iowa: 4 finalists, 1 winner (Maddie Poppe); Kansas: 4 finalists, no winner; Wisconsin: 3 finalists, no winner; New Hampshire: 3 finalists, no winner; Oregon: 3 finalists, no winner; Colorado: 3 finalists, no winner; Nebraska: 3 finalists, no winner; District of Columbia: 3 finalists, no winner; Rhode Island: 2 finalists, no winner; Maine: 1 finalist, no winner; Idaho: 1 finalist, no winner; Nevada: 1 finalist, no winner; South Dakota: 1 finalist, no winner; New Mexico: 1 finalist, 1 winner (Chevel Shepherd).
Photo: Marcus Wong Wongm · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo source.
2
Mississippi has as many winners as California, from 11 finalists
Texas and New York have the most winners, 5 each. Texas: Kelly Clarkson, Danielle Bradbery, Sundance Head, Maelyn Jarmon and Aiden Ross. New York: Jermaine Paul, Sawyer Fredericks, Just Sam, Carter Rubin and Sofronio Vasquez.
Mississippi has 3 winners from 11 finalists: Trent Harmon on Idol in 2016, Todd Tilghman on The Voice in 2020 and Jamal Roberts on Idol in 2025. California has 3 from 74. Alabama has 4 from 21: Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, Asher HaVon and Alexia Jayy.
Of the states with 3 or more winners, Missouri (3 of 10) and Mississippi (3 of 11) have the highest share
One dot per finalist; the gold dots won.
Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob Vernier · Public domain · Photo source.
.jpg){kind=link}
3
Tennessee and Florida sent Idol 46 finalists and no winner
California sends Idol the most finalists, 38. Tennessee is second with 25 and Florida is fourth with 21. None of the 46 won. North Carolina has the most Idol winners, 3 from 11 finalists: Fantasia Barrino, Scotty McCreery and Caleb Johnson.
On The Voice, Texas leads with 33 finalists. Four of Tennessee’s 17 Voice finalists won: Craig Wayne Boyd, Chris Blue, Chloe Kohanski and Jake Hoot.
Tennessee has 4 Voice winners from 17 finalists
Finalists of each show by home state. Darker tiles: more finalists. A gold dot per winner.
American Idol
California on American Idol: 38 finalists, 2 winners (Abi Carter, Chayce Beckham); Tennessee on American Idol: 25 finalists, no winner; Texas on American Idol: 23 finalists, 1 winner (Kelly Clarkson); Florida on American Idol: 21 finalists, no winner; New York on American Idol: 16 finalists, 1 winner (Just Sam); Georgia on American Idol: 16 finalists, 1 winner (Phillip Phillips); Alabama on American Idol: 12 finalists, 2 winners (Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks); North Carolina on American Idol: 11 finalists, 3 winners (Caleb Johnson, Fantasia Barrino, Scotty McCreery); Louisiana on American Idol: 9 finalists, 1 winner (Laine Hardy); Illinois on American Idol: 8 finalists, 1 winner (Lee DeWyze); Pennsylvania on American Idol: 8 finalists, no winner; Mississippi on American Idol: 8 finalists, 2 winners (Jamal Roberts, Trent Harmon); Washington on American Idol: 6 finalists, no winner; Virginia on American Idol: 6 finalists, no winner; Maryland on American Idol: 6 finalists, no winner; South Carolina on American Idol: 6 finalists, 1 winner (Candice Glover); Ohio on American Idol: 5 finalists, no winner; New Jersey on American Idol: 5 finalists, no winner; Arizona on American Idol: 5 finalists, 1 winner (Jordin Sparks); Michigan on American Idol: 4 finalists, no winner; Massachusetts on American Idol: 4 finalists, no winner; Utah on American Idol: 4 finalists, no winner; Missouri on American Idol: 4 finalists, 2 winners (David Cook, Hannah Harper); Arkansas on American Idol: 4 finalists, 1 winner (Kris Allen); Hawaii on American Idol: 4 finalists, 1 winner (Iam Tongi); Connecticut on American Idol: 3 finalists, 1 winner (Nick Fradiani); Wisconsin on American Idol: 2 finalists, no winner; Iowa on American Idol: 2 finalists, 1 winner (Maddie Poppe); Indiana on American Idol: 2 finalists, no winner; Colorado on American Idol: 2 finalists, no winner; Kentucky on American Idol: 2 finalists, 1 winner (Noah Thompson); Oklahoma on American Idol: 2 finalists, 1 winner (Carrie Underwood); Maine on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; New Hampshire on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Idaho on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Minnesota on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Oregon on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Nevada on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Rhode Island on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; Kansas on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner; District of Columbia on American Idol: 1 finalist, no winner.
The Voice
Texas on The Voice: 33 finalists, 4 winners (Aiden Ross, Danielle Bradbery, Maelyn Jarmon, Sundance Head); California on The Voice: 31 finalists, 1 winner (Alisan Porter); New York on The Voice: 29 finalists, 4 winners (Carter Rubin, Jermaine Paul, Sawyer Fredericks, Sofronio Vasquez); Florida on The Voice: 24 finalists, 2 winners (Adam David, Cassadee Pope); Tennessee on The Voice: 17 finalists, 4 winners (Chloe Kohanski, Chris Blue, Craig Wayne Boyd, Jake Hoot); Pennsylvania on The Voice: 15 finalists, 1 winner (Cam Anthony); Georgia on The Voice: 15 finalists, 1 winner (Bryce Leatherwood); Illinois on The Voice: 12 finalists, 1 winner (Gina Miles); Louisiana on The Voice: 12 finalists, no winner; Michigan on The Voice: 10 finalists, no winner; Alabama on The Voice: 10 finalists, 2 winners (Alexia Jayy, Asher HaVon); Massachusetts on The Voice: 9 finalists, 1 winner (Brynn Cartelli); New Jersey on The Voice: 9 finalists, no winner; North Carolina on The Voice: 9 finalists, no winner; Ohio on The Voice: 7 finalists, 1 winner (Girl Named Tom); Virginia on The Voice: 6 finalists, 1 winner (Huntley); Maryland on The Voice: 6 finalists, no winner; Arkansas on The Voice: 6 finalists, no winner; Washington on The Voice: 5 finalists, no winner; Indiana on The Voice: 5 finalists, 1 winner (Josh Kaufman); Kentucky on The Voice: 5 finalists, 1 winner (Jordan Smith); South Carolina on The Voice: 5 finalists, no winner; Oklahoma on The Voice: 5 finalists, no winner; Minnesota on The Voice: 4 finalists, no winner; Connecticut on The Voice: 4 finalists, 1 winner (Javier Colon); Missouri on The Voice: 4 finalists, no winner; Nebraska on The Voice: 3 finalists, no winner; Kansas on The Voice: 3 finalists, no winner; Mississippi on The Voice: 3 finalists, 1 winner (Todd Tilghman); Hawaii on The Voice: 3 finalists, no winner; New Hampshire on The Voice: 2 finalists, no winner; Oregon on The Voice: 2 finalists, no winner; Iowa on The Voice: 2 finalists, no winner; District of Columbia on The Voice: 2 finalists, no winner; Wisconsin on The Voice: 1 finalist, no winner; South Dakota on The Voice: 1 finalist, no winner; Rhode Island on The Voice: 1 finalist, no winner; Utah on The Voice: 1 finalist, no winner; New Mexico on The Voice: 1 finalist, 1 winner (Chevel Shepherd).
Photo: Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo source.
Read another story
Adam Lambert and 19 more early Idol finalists went gold. The Voice has six in 29 seasons
Adam Lambert finished second in 2009 and went gold with For Your Entertainment. About one in five Idol finalists from 2002 to 2010 did too.
Read the story
Scotty McCreery had new music on finale day. Every Idol winner did within a year
Scotty McCreery’s I Love You This Big came out on finale day in 2011. See how long other winners waited for new music.
Read the story
Brynn Cartelli was 14 when her Voice season began. No winner was younger.
Brynn Cartelli won The Voice at 15. The oldest finalist, LeRoy Bell, was 60. Inside a season, age shows no clear link to results.
Read the storyPhoto credits (3 photos)
- Adam Lambert: Christopher O'Quin, U.S. Marine Corps · Public domain · Photo source · cropped.
- Scotty McCreery: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0 · Photo source · cropped.
- Brynn Cartelli: POPDUST · CC BY 3.0 · Photo source · cropped.
