Iam Tongi

William “Iam” Guy Tongi was born on September 1, 2004, in Kahuku, Hawaii. He is of Samoan, Tongan, and Irish descent. Tongi learned to play the ukulele in fifth grade and later received a guitar from his father at age 13, an instrument that became a significant part of his performances. His family relocated to Federal Way, Washington, in 2019, where he attended Federal Way High School and later graduated from Decatur High School. Before achieving widespread recognition, Tongi released his first single, “Dreams,” in 2020, dedicated to his sister’s wedding. He also released a cover of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” and an original song “Gone.” He initially auditioned unsuccessfully for Season 20 of American Idol.

Tongi’s journey on American Idol (Season 21) began with a viral audition, where he performed James Blunt’s “Monsters” in dedication to his late father, earning a standing ovation from the judges. This audition video garnered over 16 million views on YouTube within three months. Despite facing challenges like a broken guitar and losing his voice during Hollywood Week, Tongi advanced through the competition. During the season finale, he performed an emotional duet of “Monsters” with James Blunt, a performance that resonated deeply with both judges and the audience. Tongi’s win marked several firsts for American Idol, including being the inaugural winner from Hawaii, the first Pacific Islander, and the first non-country winner in three years. He released the single “I’ll Be Seeing You” shortly before the finale, which performed well on Billboard charts, reaching No. 3 on Digital Song Sales and No. 1 on Rock Digital Song Sales.

Since his American Idol victory, Tongi has continued to build his music career. He embarked on a tour, reuniting with fellow contestant Oliver Steele. He performed a duet of “Cool Down” with Kolohe Kai frontman Roman De Peralta at a concert in Hawaii in July 2023, showcasing island music on a broader platform. He sang the national anthem at the 2023 Home Run Derby and released an Instagram video honoring victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires in August 2023. Later that month, he released a studio version of his “Monsters” duet with James Blunt. In September 2023, he released the original single “Why Kiki?” and his first holiday EP, “An Iam Tongi Christmas.” In 2025, he recorded a new version of “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” for the live-action film “Lilo & Stitch” and performed it on the American Idol stage.