‘American Idol’ Champ Iam Tongi Reacts To His ‘Amazing’ Win & Hopes To ‘One Day’ Release An Album (Exclusive)

View gallery

Image Credit: ABC

American Idol play 21 came to a adjacent with Iam Tongi taking location the large win. The 18-year-old captured the hearts of Americans each crossed the country, and present he’s taking his well-deserved spot successful Idol history. “It’s crazy. It’s amazing. It conscionable feels amazing,” helium told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY after his win.

Iam Tongi aft winning ‘American Idol.’ (ABC)

During the May 21 expansive finale, Iam performed “Monsters” with James Blunt, the aforesaid opus helium sang successful his audition. Iam began to outcry during the performance, which was a beauteous and touching tribute to his precocious father. “When we were astir to sing it, I was telling myself I wasn’t going to outcry due to the fact that I outcry a batch connected the Idol stage. I was trying not to, but close erstwhile James started singing the archetypal words I conscionable started crying due to the fact that I conscionable emotion his voice. It sounds similar heartache, and he’s an astonishing person,” Iam said.

The Hawaii autochthonal added that it was “so amazing” to beryllium capable to grant his begetter during the show. “When I sing that song, I consciousness adjacent to him again,” Iam admitted.

Iam’s American Idol triumph is inactive fresh, arsenic is his precocious schoolhouse graduation. As for what’s next for the champion, including a imaginable album, Iam revealed, “One time I’ll person an medium successful the works. I’m going to commencement recutting my originals, conscionable enactment connected them, and hopefully 1 time determination volition beryllium an album.” He plans to “just person amusive and bash immoderate unrecorded shows and constitute with my friends and stuff.”

Iam’s triumph marks the archetypal clip a Hawaiian-born Pacific Islander has won the show. “Honestly, I conscionable privation to beryllium the 1 that inspires each my talented Polynesians to action,” Iam told HollywoodLife astir however helium hopes to animate his people. “I cognize that they’re frightened to bash things. They’re frightened they’re going to beryllium embarrassed oregon whatever, but we’ve got a batch of endowment successful the Polynesian community.”

Iam Tongi performing during the ‘American Idol’ finale. (ABC)

The 18-year-old became an instant sensation from the precise infinitesimal helium auditioned. He revealed his champion proposal to future Idol hopefuls astir going aft their dreams. “People should conscionable instrumentality that accidental due to the fact that you ne'er know. I didn’t expect to win. I didn’t expect to marque it to the audition successful beforehand of the judges, and present that I’m present it’s crazy,” helium said. American Idol volition instrumentality for play 22 successful 2024.

Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get the hottest celeb news.