Iam Tongi Makes The Judges Cry During American Idol Season 21

On the American Idol Season 21 premiere, an emotional audition brought judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie to tears. William Guy Tongi (aka Iam Tongi) dedicated his performance in memory of his late father who passed away a few months ago.

He sang Jame Blunt's "Monsters," a heartfelt song that moved everyone in the room. Additionally, he shared an intense story about losing his father.

He Lost His Father A Few Months Ago

Iam Tongi of Hawaii had judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in tears with his powerful performance of James Blunt's "Monsters", dedicated to his late father.

Before singing, Tongi opened up about his father Rodney, a guitarist and music teacher, passing away recently. He told the judges that he was dedicated to him and wanted to compete on American Idol.

He received three affirmative votes from the judges and is on his way to Hollywood. Country star Luke Bryan also sent him a heartfelt message, noting how much he could relate to his performance.

Tongi informed the judges that he grew up in Hawaii but his mom's family moved to Seattle several years ago. His dad taught him everything he knows about music, leading him to select "Monsters" by James Blunt as his audition song.

Though the song itself wasn't particularly poignant, Tongi's beautiful voice brought everyone in the room to tears. It truly captured the pain and loss that Tongi experienced with his father's passing.

At his audition, Tongi recounted how his dad, Rodney, first got him interested in music. He taught him how to play guitar and dedicated his audition song to him as a tribute.

After recounting his story, Tongi put all his heart into his performance and it showed. His emotional performance left the judges in tears; Luke Bryan even had to wipe away tears with a tissue!

He began his song with a beautiful intro and then launched into an acoustic rendition of James Blunt's "Monsters". As a tribute to his father, he dedicated the song and told him he could still hear him harmonizing along on each tune.

Iam Tongi's performance quickly won over hearts, leaving all the friendly judges in tears. With three resounding yeses from the judges, he is on his way to becoming the next winner of American Idol.

He Was Dedicating The Performance To Him

On the first round of ABC's hit singing competition show American Idol, an 18-year-old named William Tongi (or Iam as he's known to his fans) stood before the panel and gave them an unforgettable performance. He went all out with an acoustic version of James Blunt's 2019 hit Monsters that left everyone speechless.

During his audition, the teenager expressed how his dad Rodney had passed away just months prior and dedicated it to him. It proved an equally moving performance for the judges who voted him through to the next round.

Not only did Tongi's captivating acoustic performance leave the judges with tears in their eyes, but it also pulled at viewers' heartstrings at home. Indeed, his rendition of 'Monsters' earned him an enthusiastic standing ovation from all three judges despite their reservations. No wonder then that Tongi has amassed over 77,000 followers on TikTok - and shows no signs of slowing down!

He Made The Judges Tear Up

On the season 21 premiere of American Idol, Iam Tongi left the judges in tears with his touching story and song. He dedicated his performance to his late dad who inspired him to start singing; he can still hear him harmonizing with him on each of his songs and has always wanted to compete in this singing competition.

He began the audition with a guitar, but it was his voice that took center stage during this moving performance. He told the judges he would be performing James Blunt's "Monsters" in tribute to his late father.

As Tongi began his song, the audience gasped as he became overcome by emotion. He even had to take a break during the performance in order to gather himself.

He then rose and resumed his audition. He shared with the judges that his father passed away a couple of months ago, and he can still hear him harmonizing with him on each song he sings.

He was overcome with emotion, having difficulty starting the song and crying throughout performance. Afterward, he dedicated it to his dad and continued playing his guitar, letting all the feelings he felt flow through him as he played.

All three judges were profoundly moved by Tongi's performance and were deeply moved by his story. They all said he made them cry, and were greatly impressed by how well he delivered the song.

Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie all wept during the performance as they were profoundly moved by it. All three were delighted that Iam Tongi received a golden ticket to Hollywood Week and made it onto their stage!

After Tongi's performance, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie both gave him a standing ovation. They noted how Tongi hit an emotional note with his performance and described him as an exceptional storyteller.

He is an incredible talent that should be recognized with a golden ticket and the chance to go to Hollywood! He should be immensely proud of his performance.

He Won The Audition

Iam Tongi, an 18-year-old aspiring singer from Hawaii, tugged at the hearts of 'American Idol' judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan when he shared his story about losing his father a few months ago. As he shared this poignant moment, Tongi became visibly emotional.

After hearing his story, the three judges immediately believed he had a shot at winning. He explained how his dad taught him how to play guitar and that he wanted to give music industry a chance.

When James Blunt sang his audition song, "Monsters," for his audition, the judges' faces lit up with tears as they paid tribute to his late father Rodney. As he began singing the poignant piece in tribute to Rodney, it was clear that everyone present had been moved by witnessing such an emotional moment.

While singing the song, Tongi strummed an acoustic guitar and sang beautifully. All the judges were delighted and deeply moved by his heartfelt performance.

The song Blunt chose, written as a tribute to his father who has Stage 4 Kidney Disease, was especially meaningful to him and served to remind the judges of their own losses.

It was a truly heartfelt audition, leaving all three judges with tears in their eyes. Iam Tongi then received an overwhelming standing ovation from all the judges as he took his place on 'American Idol's' stage.

He made an impressive first impression and earned three yeses from the judges, propelling him into Hollywood Week. Now, he will travel to Los Angeles to perform during this show's Hollywood Week phase.

Iam Tongi has earned his place among the stars of Season 21! He will compete against other aspiring pop stars from Nashville, Louisiana and Las Vegas to prove that he truly has arrived!

On Sunday, February 19th ABC broadcast the season 21 premiere of its comedy series with auditions taking place from New Orleans, Louisiana and Las Vegas.

This episode sees contestants from these areas showcase their talents in pursuit of a golden ticket to compete during the first round of Hollywood Week. The finalists will be determined by public votes, with the victor receiving both an exclusive record deal and cash prize.