You can hear it in the gentle rasp of his wave-washed vocal soul. You can see it in his smile. For Iam Tongi, music is not just about fun – although it definitely is that. It’s about transformation.

A Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter and the Season 21 champion of American Idol, the 20-year-old Tongi first saw music transform his family, then his sense of purpose … and then every aspect of his life. And now, as he steps forward with the wind firmly at his back, another transformation begins. Marked by growth, gratitude, and feel-good island wisdom, the rising star looks to the horizon.

“I know I’m supposed to be doing this, and sometimes that’s all I know,” the inspiring young talent says. “This is what I was meant for.”

That clarity came early for the emerging star. First picking up a ukulele in the fifth grade, Tongi grew up in a deeply musical world filled with community gatherings, each one marked by the traditional singing and dance of Pacific Island cultures. Living in the small town of Kahuku on the northern tip of Oahu – far removed from the tourists on the opposite side of the island – he still has vivid memories of his father and grandfather, singing together in quiet harmony as they sat on the family’s front porch. Both hard-working, blue-collar stoics, they rarely even spoke – letting music do the talking instead.

“Everyone knew music and music was life – it’s about just having fun,” Tongi explains. “Everyone knew how, except for me. And I remember I always felt kind of left out.”

That changed when Tongi began singing, too, looking for a way to get closer to his dad. Although his father’s regular workday was 16 hours long, he’d still rush home to sing with Tongi, teaching his son what he knew and hammering home the idea that music was Tongi’s path to a better life. Clearly blessed with an expressive, charismatic voice, Tongi was pushed hard and immersed in the multi-faceted skills of island reggae – plus a family record collection that featured country (Kenny Rogers), classic rock (Dr. Hook), and R&B (Luther Vandross).

By 13 Tongi had played his first show, singing Tongan classics and his dad’s favorite Dr. Hook song (“Sylvia’s Mother”) at a North Shore fair. With his fluid style, warm vocal rasp and beaming optimism, Tongi easily cut through the din of the inattentive crowd, earning his first taste of the rush live performance offered. But when the family moved to Seattle, music truly became a lifeline.

Dropped into a culture he’d only seen on TV, the tender-hearted Tongi was slow to make friends, and found solace in music instead. Writing songs as an outlet and comfort, he also began singing even more – partly because his dad had suffered two strokes and a heart attack, meaning he could no longer work. The pair practiced twice as hard as before, and often livestreamed their duets on Facebook for hundreds of viewers. It was a reminder of home for them both.

“I really missed home. And what made me feel like I was home again, was Hawaiian music,” Tongi says. “I never really fit in at school, so I leaned on my music even more. I wrote all the time.”

In a devastating blow, Tongi’s father passed away from kidney failure in December 2021 – but not before encouraging his son to keep singing, one last time. Even so, Tongi couldn’t bring himself to do it. Music brought back painful memories, and without his dad, Tongi began to wonder if he had ever loved music at all. The crestfallen teen put his guitar away, and tried to forget.

It was his mother who knew better. Secretly signing her son up for American Idol – a dream her late husband had long pushed for – she surprised Tongi with the news just two days before his audition. In one of Idol’s all-time emotional highlights, that moving performance of James Blunt’s “Monsters” immediately went viral, and by the end of Season 21, Tongi had made history as the first Pacific Islander to ever win the show.

As he told the world, he did it to honor his father. … But ultimately, the win helped Tongi learn to believe in himself – inspiring millions in the process.

The following year presented more challenge. Despite a thriving fanbase that supports millions of global on-demand streams and social media followers, the constant travel of nationwide concert tours and long separation from family led Tongi to wrestle with his new reality, and struggle to speak his creative truth. But a new day dawns.

Finding a trusted collaborator and mentor in acclaimed songwriter/producer Johnny Reid, the pair’s instant connection has rekindled Tongi’s creative drive. And after rebuilding the gifted talent’s confidence, dozens of songs have been written for Tongi’s next chapter, each one combining his skill and background in way that is true to himself.

“Now, I’m doing what I love,” the rising star says. “I want it to be a fun.”

That quest began with “Road to Hana,” a bouncing, windows-down mix of upbeat island reggae and country heart, with a colorful vocal to match. A tribute to Hawaii with a clever romantic twist, Tongi co-wrote the track with Reid and Roy Morgan, and it marks the first taste of a trove of new material.

Leaning into Tongi’s cultural heritage and musical roots – but also the man he’s become – breezy beach balladry and sunshine country stand alongside laid-back soul, gospel, and more, as the young artist celebrates the ever-changing magic of music, and life itself. He’s seen the transformation happen (more than once), and through it all, one lesson remains constant: To live each moment for all it’s worth.

“I want people to not take things for granted,” Tongi explains. “Don’t wait until you lose someone to look at it like that. Don’t wait until it’s too late, and always stay positive.

“It’s actually a really hard thing to do, and this world is already messed up,” he goes on. “What I want people to take from my music is just positivity.”