‘American Idol’ contestant’s heartfelt tribute to his dad is a reminder that it’s okay to grieve out loud
Iam Tongi has a message for his fans, and it's as emotional as it can get. The winner of 'American Idol' Season 21 shared in his audition about the profound loss of his father, who was his biggest supporter. While Tongi is slowly and steadily building his name in the music industry, he has recently shared a message with his fans about the grief, and it's heartwarming, to say the least.
Tongi marked National Grief Awareness Day on Saturday, August 30, with a heartfelt tribute that touched many of his fans. The young singer, who has been open about his journey of loss, took to Instagram to share a video clip of his song 'Unbreak My Heart.' In his caption, Tongi reached out directly to those who may be struggling with grief, writing, "I hope this song helps anyone dealing with loss," as per Entertainment Now.
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Fans also flooded Tongi with love and appreciation by commenting under the Instagram post. A fan commented, "Much Love Iam!!! This does help with grief. Such a beautiful song," while another added, "Helps me deal with the loss of my best friend. Thank you! One of my friends and we were getting close up until she passed unexpectedly so thank you I needed that." A fan remarked, "Beautiful song with so much meaning. Thank you." Meanwhile, a fan shared, "Thank YOU, @wtongi, for helping so many realize it's okay to cry if you're in pain. JC in TN."
During an interview with Celeb Secrets, Tongi described his song 'Unbreak My Heart' as "so beautiful" and "one of my favorite songs that I've worked on." The track carries deep meaning for him, especially when he first heard the opening lyrics, "I remember when the call came in/Telling me you were gone/I remember trying to pretend/You'd be there when I got home." Tongi admitted that hearing those words left him "bawling," adding, "That’s exactly how I felt when my dad passed away." The singer has previously been open about losing his father in 2021, a loss so devastating that it made him step away from playing music for a period of time.
Tongi also grabbed major attention back on Saturday, May 17, at the world premiere of 'Lilo & Stitch' in Los Angeles. Tongi told People that he has been "working on" himself and "trying to stay healthy." The 20-year-old explained that he works with a personal trainer almost every day, saying, "We have a workout session maybe around 11, come back (home), and we go to an ice bath or sauna … or whatever it is. And then we come back, shower, and go on a walk." He proudly revealed, "And I've lost 115 lbs. It feels amazing. I feel great."
He further added, "I moved out to Memphis, so I've been working out, writing, recording, and just been busy, but in a different way." Despite relocating, Tongi said he still deeply cherishes Hawaii, saying, "It's a great feeling to go home and just see the people and see them be excited when they see me. It's such a good feeling. It’s a cool feeling."