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 21-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.