ʻAmerican Idol’ winner Iam Tongi, who grew up on Oʻahu, announced a new song ʻSunshine,’ set to release on April 25. A sneak preview of the song is now available on YouTube.
In 2023, Tongi captured national attention when he won ʻAmerican Idol’ in Season 21. Tongi, who grew up in Kahuku, started playing ʻukelele in fifth grade, according to his website. By the time he was 13 years old, he played his first show. He later moved to Seattle.
“Even though I just turned 20, I’ve had to face some pretty difficult times in my life,” shared Tongi on Instagram. “When I lost my dad a few years ago, it made me realize how short life really is. But it also made me realize what really matters. My mom is my biggest hero and inspiration, and she has always pushed me to be kind, work hard, and be a better version of myself, no matter what. I wrote ʻSunshine’ because I wanted to use this platform I’ve been given to spread love, light and positivity to the world. Even when times are tough, you can find goodness around you.”
Here is Tongiʻs audition for ‘American Idol’ where he shares how much his father means to him before performing “Monsters.”
