After his “American Idol” win, Iam Tongi is continuing to find success in the music industry.
Here’s a look at what the 20-year-old singer has been up to since being declared the Season 21 champion — including a return to the “Idol” stage Monday night.
Where is Iam Tongi now?
Tongi is returning to “American Idol” to perform during the show’s top three round Monday night.
The singer will perform “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” from the new “Lilo & Stitch” movie.
“I’ve seen what he’s going to do on the show, and it’s going to be really fun,” top five contestant Thunderstorm Artis recently told the Deseret News. “He’s a real individual that I just really love. He doesn’t let the whole stardom stuff go to his head. He’s just so down to earth, and I really love that.”
Tongi also performed on “Idol” during Season 22, showcasing his original single “Why Kiki?” The song has 10 million views on YouTube.
“It’s very important to me to represent where I’m from. That is what this song does,” Tongi previously told TV Insider. “I wanted to represent where I was born and pay homage to my home. It’s a fun little song. It’s so catchy. Just an upbeat song.”
Tongi’s “Idol” audition, a performance of the James Blunt song “Monsters,” was the most viewed audition of Season 21 — by a landslide.
To date, it has 36 million views on YouTube.
The singer celebrated a full-circle moment by recording a duet version of the song with Blunt, Country Now reported.
“From covering it on tiktok 3 years ago, to singing it in my audition on @americanidol, to performing it at the Idol finale with @jamesblunt, ‘Monsters’ means so much to me,” Tongi shared on X. “I’m so excited to announce that James & I will be releasing an official duet of ‘Monsters.’”
The first Hawaiian and Pacific Islander to win “Idol,” Tongi also used his platform to offer support to those affected by the Maui wildfires in 2023. He performed a tribute on “Good Morning America” and asked fans “to do some research on the right organizations to donate to, and to also say prayers for Maui.”
Tongi embarked on his first tour in the fall of 2023. A couple of months later he released his first holiday EP, “An Iam Tongi Christmas,” which features his covers of “White Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and “Mele Kalikimaka.” He has consistently released music over the last couple of years, per Spotify.
Iam Tongi on his Latter-day Saint faith
During his time on “Idol,” Tongi, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared his faith on social media. At one point during the competition, he shared a video with a few other “Idol” contestants in a hotel room, singing the Latter-day Saint hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour.”
Tongi has been especially vocal about his faith since winning “American Idol.”
“Recently, a friend asked me about my faith. At first, it seemed like he was trying to make me feel dumb for believing what I do, but as I was willing to talk with him and share my feelings, I learned he was genuinely curious. We began to have an actual conversation,” Tongi shared in a 2023 social media post for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, just a few weeks after winning “Idol.” “As I answered his questions, he would ask something else, and it gave me the chance to speak up and share from a sincere place. If I didn’t know the answer, I would tell him, ‘I don’t know that yet.’ And he was fine hearing that because he knew I was trying.
“I thank my mom for teaching me to have courage,” he continued. “She has always pushed me to share what I believe. My faith in God and Jesus Christ is a part of my story. Their story is my story.
A look back at Iam Tongi’s run on ‘American Idol’
For his “Idol” audition, Tongi, then 18, performed “Monsters” and dedicated the performance to his father, who died a couple of months before the audition, the Deseret News reported.
With emotion, Tongi told the “Idol” judges that his father was the reason he got into music. He carried his emotion into his performance and had judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan crying with his rendition of the song.
I’m not your son, you’re not my father
We’re just two grown men saying goodbye
No need to forgive, no need to forget
I know your mistakes and you know mine
And while you’re sleeping, I’ll try to make you proud
So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?
Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn to chase the monsters away
Tongi choked up as he reached his last note — but he had already convinced the judges that he would be a strong contender in the “Idol” competition, per the Deseret News. His rendition of “Monsters” led to the song rising to the top of the iTunes charts, according to The Kent Reporter.
“You hit a nerve, and that’s what great storytellers do,” Katy Perry said. “That’s what great artists do, and your voice is just so magnificent.”
“I cannot handle your heart breaking about your dad,” Bryan added. “Just seeing you missing your dad just sucks. Gosh, man, you just got a great voice. ... You just did everything perfect, and I love you.”
“You take this into the world and you’re going to fracture some souls,” Richie said.