After losing his dad, Hawaiian singer nearly quit music — but ‘American Idol’ helped him find his way back
Nearly two years ago, Iam Tongi was named as the winner of 'American Idol' Season 21, and now he is shedding light on how the ABC singing show helped him overcome his fears and gain confidence. During his latest interview with Aloha State Daily, Iam reflected on his ‘American Idol’ experience. “I went into Idol like, ʻMan, I’m just not as good as everyone else here.’ Just going in there and actually singing what is true to me, and people really receiving that in a good way, in a way that I wanted them to receive it, it was mind-blowing. Getting confidence from that helped me to be a better singer," Iam told the media outlet.
For the unversed, Iam started playing musical instruments at a very young age. The Kahuku, Hawaii native native learned the ukulele in fifth grade and even taught some of his friends how to play reggae and island music during his childhood. Reflecting on the same, Iam shared, “It was my way to escape from struggles in life and struggles in growing up in Hawaiʻi. … I feel like my dad — he saw that I really loved it — and he pushed me.”
However, Iam nearly quit music altogether after his father, Rodney Tongi, passed away in 2021. When his mother asked why he had stopped playing, he said that singing made him imagine his father harmonizing with him. During that period of mourning, his mother gave him a piece of advice that changed his whole perspective. “And then my mom said, ʻIsn't that a good thing, though?’” Iam said. “ʻDoesn't that sound like a good thing ʻcause you can still hear him, even though he's not with us right now?’”
Eventually, Iam auditioned for ‘American Idol’ Season 21, which aired in 2023. At that point, Iam sang a beautiful rendition of ‘Monsters’ by James Blunt as a tribute to his late father, which moved the judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan to tears. Ultimately, Iam won that particular season of ‘American Idol.’ Following his successful stint on ‘American Idol’, Iam has had a successful career in music. Earlier this year, in April, Iam dropped his single named ‘Sunshine’ which crossed over 100 million streams across various music streaming platforms. Apart from this, Iam even recorded a new version of the song ‘Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride’ for the Disney live action film ‘Lilo and Stitch’, which premiered in May, and in June, he made his Grand Ole Opry Debut.
These days, Iam is busy preparing for his upcoming tour. On July 22, Iam took to his Instagram page and announced that he will be going on tour later this year. The caption read, “So stoked to finally share with you guys… I’m hittin the road this fall for my first-ever headlining tour. We’re starting out East, but a Western leg is coming soon, so hang tight if you don’t see your city yet. Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 25, at 10 am local time. Or you can get them early by joining Team Tongi. Just text the word “tour” to 917-947-2299. Grab them tickets and lessgo y’all.”