‘American Idol’ Winner Iam Tongi Speaks Out After ‘Fake’ Reaction

TV

By Jack Hobbs

May 23, 2023 | 12:25 p.m.

Iam Tongi spoke on Monday about his “American Idol” win after being crowned the youngest man to ever win the competition and how he honored his late father during his time on the show.

“It’s amazing,” Tongi, 18, told TV Insider. “I was so happy that everyone voted. Thank you everyone. Now that I’m the 21st season’s Idol, it’s crazy.

Tongi’s remarks came after several viewers claimed the entire contest had been ‘rigged’ in the high school student’s favor and that his victory was due to a ‘sympathy vote’.

An opponent tweeted that Tongi “had the best sobbing story,” the contest was about musical talent.

Since his first audition for “Idol” three months ago, the Hawaiian native’s video has racked up 16 million views, making it the top video on the show’s YouTube page.

During his time on the show, the Hawaii native told judges Katy Perry, 38, Lionel Richie, 73, and Luke Bryan, 46, that he lost his father months before his audition due to stage 4 kidney disease.

As the show progressed, Tongi continued to use her late father’s guitar at every performance until it broke mid-season.

“I always wanted to play my dad’s guitar,” Tongi said. “But when it broke the first time, it was tough.”

According to the singer, his mother along with fellow “Idol” contestant named Oliver Steele, who reached the show’s Top 8 and developed a close bond with Tongi, told him that “it wasn’t about guitar but voice.”

“I just started to believe that my dad was going to be with me whether I used him or not,” Tongi continued. “The guitar will always remain a treasure.”

Tongi stopped the show in Sunday’s finale with two stunning renditions of Keith Urban’s ‘Making Memories of Us’ – which brought the judge to tears – and James Blunt’s ‘Monsters’, which he sang with the pop star British.

According to the singer, his whole experience on the show has taught him that “it’s not a bad thing to talk about your problems and what you’re going through.”

So where will Tongi go from here?

The ‘Idol’ winner said he plans to expand his musical horizons.

“I don’t want to limit myself to one genre of music because I love all music,” Tongi told the outlet. “I just want to have fun with it.”

Despite the hate, other viewers were enthusiastic about the young adult.

“Congratulations to American idol from Hawaii, Iam Tongi,” tweeted Hawaii Governor Josh Green with a photo of the star.

“Congratulations @wtongi! It was a great season of #AmericanIdol, excited to hear more of your music,” tweeted a fan.

“American Idol got it right. Congratulations Iam Tongi,” said a third fan.