Iam Tongi: The Heartfelt Journey Of An American Idol Champion

Soft-spoken William “Iam” Tongi captured the hearts of American Idol viewers early this season, and on Sunday during the finale, he won the competition, too. The 18-year-old, originally from Kahuku, Hawaii, became the show’s season 21 champion, besting runner-up Megan Danielle and third-place contestant Colin Stough in a star-studded final episode. The three-hour spectacle included performances from singers like Pitbull, Jelly Roll, Kylie Minogue, and Ellie Goulding.

But the night belonged to Tongi, who sealed his victory thanks to an emotional duet of “Monsters” with James Blunt, which brought judge Katy Perry to tears. The teenager also performed the original song “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which he wrote for his late father, Rodney. Tongi has spoken candidly about his past—especially his father’s influence on his music—allowing him to connect with viewers throughout the season. Here’s a look at Tongi’s backstory and path to victory.

Tongi’s Emotional Audition

Viewers first met Tongi at his audition during the season premiere on February 19. He told judges Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie he moved from Hawaii to Seattle three years ago with his mother and immediate family. According to Billboard, Tongi, who was born September 1, 2004, is the youngest of five children and learned to play the ukulele in fifth grade.

He also played the piano and, when he was 13, received a guitar as a gift from his father, Rodney, who had spent his holiday paycheck on the instrument. In a March interview with the Federal Way Mirror, Tongi shared that his father had suffered a heart attack during his freshman year of high school and couldn’t work, which forced the family’s move to the continental U.S. due to the high cost of living in Hawaii.

Tongi explained that he didn’t initially plan to mention his father during the audition because he didn’t want people to view his Idol journey as a sob story. However, he found himself struggling to hold back tears as he spoke about their connection. After a moment of composure, he began playing guitar and performed “Monsters,” a song he used to sing with his father. The judges responded with a standing ovation and granted him a unanimous ticket to the next round.

“For all my life, my dad told me that singing is the only thing that was meant for me,” Tongi said on the show. “People thought I cry because I miss him, but it’s because I hear him singing, and I can hear his harmony. I can hear, like, how he would harmonize with me in that song.”

Winning Fans on American Idol

Tongi, who had auditioned for the show once prior to this season, quickly went viral and gained 112,000 Instagram followers in just two days after his first performance. His audition is the most-watched in the show’s history, accumulating over 16 million views on the Idol YouTube channel as of Monday.

His journey on the show was not without challenges. During Hollywood Week auditions, his father's guitar malfunctioned right before he was set to perform. Clearly distraught, Tongi pushed through his rendition of “Save Your Tears,” even taping some of the lyrics to a spare guitar just in case he forgot them.

However, once he reached the live shows, Tongi delivered a series of unforgettable covers, including ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” Katy Perry even predicted his victory as early as the top 10 episode, quipping, “When you win American Idol, will you please just sing ‘More Than Words’ for me?”

Prior to his appearance in the finale, country star Jelly Roll spoke with podcaster Joe Rogan and both were moved to tears while watching video of Tongi’s audition. “I’ve already publicly put the word out to whoever has the contractual rights to him, I want him,” Jelly Roll expressed.

Tongi officially released “I’ll Be Seeing You” as a single on Friday, and it quickly soared to No. 1 on iTunes following the season finale. Given the overwhelming support from fans and fellow artists, it’s clear that Tongi’s musical future is incredibly bright.