Iam Tongi, 2023 winner of American Idol, will perform at BYU-Idaho on Friday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium.
Hailing from Kahuku, Hawaii, Iam Tongi made history as the first person from Hawaii and the first Pacific Islander to win the star-finding tv show, American Idol.
Tongi’s soulful voice, aged beyond his 18 years coupled with his skillful performances on the ukulele, piano, and guitar, captivated audiences and judges alike starting from the first note of his deeply emotional audition where he dedicated a touching rendition of James Blunt's "Monsters'' to his late father. The heartfelt performance garnered a standing ovation from judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, quickly propelling Tongi to viral fame and amassing over 100 million views on YouTube making him the most viral artist in Idol history.
Since his historic win, Iam’s artistry is flourishing with the release of his single "I'll Be Seeing You", (which reached No. 3 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales and No. 1 on Rock Digital Song Sales) and has been selling out shows across the US.
Professional critic Tony Keefer for The Music Room based in Cincinnati, Ohio gives an insight into the memorable experience attendees can expect from Iam Tongi.
“Playing a mix of his own songs and a diverse batch of covers, Iam Tongi proved that he is much more than just a reality show champion. He is a superstar who sings songs of life that give the listener no other choice but to consume every note that he sings and plays and tuck them away somewhere deep inside of them.”
Tickets for the event range from $10 to $25. Purchase tickets at www.byui.edu/tickets.