Photo Credit: American Idol

American Idol 2025 Platinum ticket winner Kolbi Jordan has been quite busy since the show wrapped. Her biggest project is currently rehearsing for Hairspray the musical. She heard about the part while on Idol and knew she wanted to try out. So, while in wardrobe she submitted an audition tape. A few weeks later, Kolbi got the offer to play motormouth Maybelle. “It’s a dream role for me. I’ve always wanted to play that. I’m a huge Hairspray fan. I love the music. I love the musical” she gushes. The play will run September 12-21st in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Acting is not anything new to Jordan. She’s been acting most of her life, becoming serious freshman year of high school. We’re told “I would like to dabble in something even outside of musicals. I really do enjoy the arts. It doesn’t have to always involve singing.”

My favorite Kolbi moment from American Idol was her duet with Patti Labelle, and she is still reeling from it. “Listen I’ve been on cloud 9 since that moment happened. I have loved Patti since I was about 5 years old.” She goes on to tell us how she found out about Miss Labelle. Kolbi was in the living room on the computer and heard a woman singing. She ran back to look, and Patti’s Christmas special was playing. She sat there and watched entranced, then looked up YouTube videos. “I fell in love with her then and it has been a dream to meet her and then over time to sing with her. And so, for it to happen on Idol was insane”. But it didn’t stop there. On her birthday, after Idol had ended, Labelle invited her to come sing with her again outside of the platform. “Patti has been amazing to me. She has spoken so much life into me. It’s a major blessing. It brings a smile to my face just with the thought of it.”

When asked if Patti has given her any advice, the answer is a resounding yes. “She told me to keep my head up; it doesn’t matter how many noes I receive I will always have that yes in my heart”. Another thing “She told me I could sing, which is a big thing for an artist to hear from your favorite artist, that you are an artist and that you can sing. That you do have it. That was everything to me. I think obviously Patti has shown the world that she has it. So, for her to look at me and tell me that I have it and to call me baby Patti or the next Patti Labelle which I do think is a stretch. For her to say that was everything”. It’s surreal and Kolbi is beyond grateful to Patti for believing in her.

Jordan has learned a lot from her time on Idol. She went into the show with self-doubt in regard to her artistry. The golden ticket hopeful didn’t see herself doing it long term, but the show surprised her. “It showed me that I am an artist. It’s more than you can just sing. It’s that I have it. I can sing a song, but I can also emote the emotions to the song.” She is a proclaimed theater geek that loves the arts and tells us that the contestants and staff on the show were beautiful people that helped Kolbi explore that in herself. Jordan also learned that patience is a virtue, you can’t be in this industry without it. You also have to have a level of openness, to be willing to shut up and learn at all times. Coming from the world of Human Resources, Kolbi is used to people asking her all the questions. When she walked into Idol the tables were turned. She had to figure out what everything means and how she fit in.

Everyone dealt with pressure from being on Idol right at the start and Jordan struggled a bit. “I think there is so much I have to offer but there were some things that held me back and fear had a lot to do with it. Of course, now that I’m off the platform and I know how it works I wish I hadn’t allowed some things creep into my mind. But there was a lot going on while we were there.”

Kolbi adds “You get caught up in the comments. What I did hear a lot on set is what everyone else is doing. Like their song choice. I didn’t necessarily get caught up in that aspect. It was more so trying not to be super cliche and try to always live up to who Kolbi is. But somewhere along the lines I sort of lost where I wanted that to go on the show”. She is grateful for all of the help but wishes she had paid more attention and embodied more of who she was into her performances.

Who is Kolbi I ask? “I’m naturally sassy” she says laughing. “I’m naturally a storyteller and I think as a singer that is super-duper important because singing a song is the same thing as telling a story. So, I don’t think that I did a great job in picking a song and getting onstage and telling the story. I’m sort of an emotional being so I sort of try to bring that out as I’m singing a song. I’m naturally bubbly. I’m naturally vibrant.” I tell her those characteristics were what I saw at Franklin Summer Bash and she’s pleased.

What’s next? There is a lot going on. A lot of stuff up in the air. She’s currently traveling, performing wherever people will have her. She has spent a lot of time in Nashville. Kolbi is hoping for another performance with Patti. She’s in the studio recording and working on collaborations with different companies. “I’m just praying that it comes on out and we can start releasing or just say yes.” We wish her the best!