American Idol is preparing to announce a new winner.
Here’s a look at singer Iam Tongi, who made the top three on the show and has a really good chance of winning the entire competition.
The finale of “American Idol” airs May 21 at 6 p.m. MDT on ABC.
I’m Tongi at the American Idol audition
Iam Tongi’s “American Idol” audition is the most-watched of the season — overwhelmingly. Released three months ago, it already has 16 million views on YouTube. At his audition, 18-year-old Tongi, a high school graduate from Hawaii, sang James Blunt’s “Monsters” and dedicated the performance to his father, who died a few months before the audition.
With emotion, Tongi told the “Idol” judges that his father was the reason he got into music. He expressed his emotions in his performance and made judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan cry 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 sleep I’ll try to make you proud
So daddy, wouldn’t you just close your eyes?
Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn to drive the monsters away
Tongi choked on his last note – but he had already convinced the judges that he would be a strong contender in the “Idol” competition. And his rendition of “Monsters” propelled the song to the top of the iTunes chart, according to The Kent Reporter.
“You hit a nerve, and that’s what great storytellers do,” said Katy Perry. “That’s what great artists do and your voice is just great.”
“I can’t take your heart being broken because of your dad,” Bryan added. “Just seeing you miss your dad just sucks. Gosh man, you just have a great voice. … You did everything perfectly and I love you.”
“If you take that out into the world, you’re going to break some souls,” Richie said.
Iam Tongi talks about his father
After his Idol audition, Tongi spoke to the producers about how he and his father felt connected through music and how his father had long wanted him to audition for American Idol. In fact, Tongi has already auditioned for Idol. In an interview with The Kent Reporter, Tongi laughed as he recalled his father’s reaction when he didn’t make the show.
“He said, ‘Son. i need to talk to you “You have to work on your music,” he said.
“My dad, he wasn’t a perfect guy,” he added. “He wasn’t like a saint or whatever. But he was the best father I know. And I want everyone to know that he’s a tough guy. He has always told me the truth and he has always loved me. And I’ve always loved him.”
Tongi told The Kent Reporter that he hadn’t originally planned to mention his father during the audition – he didn’t want to turn his “Idol” audition into a sob story. But when the judges asked about his family, he got emotional thinking about his father.
“People thought I was crying because I missed him, but it’s because I hear him sing — I can hear his harmony,” Tongi told the Idol producers after the audition. “I know he is with me. Through my music, he will always be with me.”
During his time on Idol, Tongi, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has shared his faith on social media. In April, he quoted “The best is yet to come” from President Russell M. Nelson’s general conference address. A few weeks later, he shared a video with some other “Idol” contestants in a hotel room singing the Latter-day Saint hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour.”
Iam Tongi “American Idol” Appearances
During his time on Idol, Tongi has performed a wide range of songs – including Cat Steven’s “Father and Son”, Sam Cooke’s “Bring it On Home to Me” and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence”.
Most recently, Tongi released his latest single “I’ll Be Seeing You”.
Below are some of his appearances during his appearance on “Idol”.