‘Idol’ Winner Iam Tongi Says the Show Gave Him Confidence

“American Idol” season 21 winner Iam Tongi is opening up about how being on the show helped him gain confidence. “I went into ‘Idol’ like, ʻMan, I’m just not as good as everyone else here,’” the singer shared with Aloha State Daily.

But Tongi, 20, soon began to feel differently once he witnessed the effect his singing had on the fans and judges alike. “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,” he explained. 

And according to Tongi, feeling more self-assured actually improved his musical ability. “Getting confidence from that helped me to be a better singer,” he said.

Iam Tongi Stopped Playing Music Before ‘Idol’

The Kahuku, Hawaii native began playing music at a young age, learning ukulele in his fifth grade class. Tongi was a natural, and taught his friends to play reggae and island music for fun.

“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,” Tongi shared. But when his father passed away in 2021, the singer stopped playing music altogether. 

He explained that when he sang he could clearly imagine his father singing with him, which seemed to deepen his grief over the loss. Some wise words from his mother changed his perspective, however.

“… my mom said, ʻIsn’t that a good thing, though?’” Tongi shared, “… ʻcause you can still hear him, even though he’s not with us right now?’” It was enough to inspire him to keep going, and to audition for “American Idol.”

Iam Tongi Has Come a Long Way

Since winning “Idol” in 2023, Tongi has embarked on a successful career in music. In April he released his single “Sunshine” which reached over 100 million streams across various platforms.

He also recorded a version of the song “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” for the live action “Lilo and Stitch” movie that premiered in May and in June he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry. 

Tongi is thriving in his personal life as well, and in July he shared an Instagram post that showed he and his girlfriend Leah living their best lives together. 

While Tongi’s star is on the rise, he surely had a rocky road getting here. But he has some advice to share that was passed on to him by his aunt: “Every once and a while, just stop and take a breath,” he said. “And that’s been on my mind for a little bit now.”