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SCREEN CAPTURE Iam Tongi is the first "American Idol" winner from Hawaii. |
A Hawaii-raised singer from the Northshore of Oahu was named the American Idol of 2023. He is the first winner of the singing competition from Hawaii after 21 seasons.
Eighteen-year old Iam Tongi won the coveted reality show, American Idol, last night, beating out Megan Danielle, a 20-year-old singer from Georgia.
Iam, who was born in Kahuku, moved to Washington state with his family where he is currently a student at Decatur High School in Federal Way, Washington. He is a blend of Tongan, Samoan, and Irish ancestry.
When asked why his family left Hawaii, Iam said his family had been “priced out of paradise.” The cost of housing in Hawaii is among the highest in the nation.
Iam was introduced to a national audience during his auditions when he sang an tearful rendition of James Blunt's "Monsters," dedicated to his father and musical mentor, who passed away in 2021. Posted three months ago, the video went viral, garnering over 16 million views on YouTube.
“People thought I cry because I miss him, but it’s ’cause I hear him singing — I can hear his harmony,” Iam told “Idol” producers after the audition. “I know he’s with me. Through my music he’ll always be with me.”
Throughout his time on “Idol,” Tongi 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.” but he seemed most at ease and joyful when he played his guitar and sang songs about Hawaii.
“People thought I cry because I miss him, but it’s ’cause I hear him singing — I can hear his harmony,” Iam told “Idol” producers after the audition. “I know he’s with me. Through my music he’ll always be with me.”
Throughout his time on “Idol,” Tongi 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.” but he seemed most at ease and joyful when he played his guitar and sang songs about Hawaii.
The winner of American Idol receives a $250,000 prize and a recording contract with Hollywood Records/19 Recording plus participation in a nationwide concert tour with the season's finalists.
Some of the most notable alumni from American Idol include Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Katherine McPhee.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.
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