Season 21 “American Idol” winner Iam Tongi surprised fans gathered in Nashville for the 19 Recordings/BMG Takeover concert on June 4, 2025, featuring a dozen recent alums of the show. The published lineup didn’t include Tongi, though, so fans were thrilled to see the Hawaii native pop up to perform some of his most popular tunes, including “Why Kiki.”
Tongi, 19, eventually realized the surprise was really on him. In a video he shared via his Instagram Stories, Tongi was joined onstage by “American Idol” executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick and 19 Recordings president Joey Bargey, there to hand Tongi a plaque commemorating that his music has been streamed over 100 million times. He raised the framed plaque above his head as the crowd cheered.
Fans Thrilled to See Iam Tongi Finding Success & Looking Healthier
Tongi’s streaming milestone is his latest accomplishment two years after winning “American Idol” as a high school student.
The show posted a photo of the 20-year-old holding his framed plaque, standing in front of the thrilled crowd at the Takeover concert, and wrote, “WOW! Congratulations to @wtongi on 100 million streams! 🎶🤙 We love you, Iam! 💙”
Fans filled the comment section with congratulatory messages and many also noted how much healthier Tongi looks. He has been documenting his fitness journey and has lost over 100 pounds in 2025.
One fan wrote, “Congratulations! You are looking so much healthier too! It’s a win win!”
Another commented, “👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Wonderful!! And he looks healthier!!”
“Just keep doin what you do Iam,” someone else wrote. “It’s heritage & a gift of magic.”
Iam Tongi is Riding High on Success of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Collaboration
Tongi’s streaming success has likely been fueled by the first song he performed on “American Idol” — the heartbreaking ballad “Monsters” — which went viral when he broke down in his audition, telling the judges about losing his dad months before.
But he has had other successes, too, from his cleverly-titled tune “Why Kiki?” — the music video has been viewed 10 million times on YouTube alone — and his collaboration with Disney on the “Lilo & Stitch” movie.
The Hawaii native, who is known for infusing his music with the “island vibes” of his culture, recorded a new version of “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” for the 2025 live-action movie. The result is a smash hit. With over 24 million views as of June 5, the making-of-the-song video, released on May 8, has become one of the top 10 music videos on YouTube.
Just like in the original, a new generation of students from Kamehameha School’s Children’s Chorus appear on the song. In a TikTok video about the making of the song, Tongi said, “I didn’t actually record with (the) choir, but I watched the video with them recording their parts, and it was super cool and inspiring.”
He added, “To be a part of something like this, especially something that honors our culture like this, is just unreal.”
On June 6, Tongi will release his newest single, “Unbreak My Heart,” which he performed on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” earlier in the week.
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‘American Idol’ Winner Gets Surprised Onstage With Huge Career News