'American Idol' winner Iam Tongi reveals emotional reason behind break from music after Season 21 win
Iam Tongi wowed the judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan from his very first performance on James Blunt's 'Monster' during his audition, before making his way up to the top, finally becoming the winner of season 21 of 'American Idol.' He was recently seen on the May 12 episode of the show, where he graced the stage to perform on 'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride' from the live-action adaptation of 'Lilo & Stitch.' Also, during season 22, Tongi performed other hit singles, 'Sunshine,' 'Road to Hana,' and 'Why Kiki?,' all of which were released after him winning the 'American Idol' trophy.
In April, Tongi made a surprise announcement via a heartfelt Instagram post, revealing his decision to take a break from singing. He wrote, "Less than a year ago, God made some changes in my life that allowed me to see things differently from a personal and emotional perspective. I woke up and realized it was time for me to take charge of my life and make the changes I had to make to be the best version of myself I could be." Fans wasted no time praising him for taking the decision; one fan commented, "SO proud of you I am!! It takes so much strength to wake up and choose yourself every single day! Can’t wait to hear all the new music." Another added, "So proud of you, bro." The third chimed in, "You are an inspiration." One fan said, "Thank you for sharing your journey. Congratulations & keep up the good work. I'm excited to hear your new song! JC in TN."
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Not many know that only a month before his audition on the show, Tongi had lost his father. "I still had a lot of pain from losing my dad, and that made it so hard to appreciate all the blessings God was giving me," he shared on the post. He also admitted that life has been busy after his win on 'American Idol'; however, with "a lot of things happening," he hadn't had the time for himself to process it all; he added, "I still feel sadness and emptiness I could not escape." Speaking of the challenges in the way of prioritizing his mental and physical health, the Hawaii singer said, "Working out daily has been a blessing but also one of the toughest things I’ve ever done."
Tongi also shared the benefits he is reaping on his healing journey: "Getting stronger physically has helped me get stronger mentally, emotionally, and musically." Tongi continued, "I decided to take a step back to reassess my life and my career. I decided to prioritize myself. I started writing my songs and telling my own stories and surrounding myself with positivity and people who genuinely cared about me and my well-being." According to Newsbreak, after becoming an Idol Champion, Tongi has also performed many live concerts. With many hits to his name, Tongi continues to be a fan favorite, with a whopping 1M followers on Instagram.
But when it comes to his personal life, Tongi doesn't share much. Only last year, he gave fans a sneak peek of his girlfriend on Instagram. As reported by Swoon, in December 2024, Tongi put up a picture with his girlfriend Leah, captioned, “1 year ago you forced me to ask you out, nah nah, jk jk, I love you babe, forever." Again in March, Iam Tongi shared with fans a glimpse into his love life, posting a picture with Leah, which was captioned, “I miss you so much, beautiful. I’ll be home soon,” he wrote, hinting that their love is still going strong.
