Iam Tongi

For Iam Tongi, music is about transformation—and it always has been. A Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter and the Season 21 champion of American Idol, Tongi first picked up a ukulele in the fifth grade. He was immersed in a deeply musical world filled with the traditional singing and dance of Pacific Island cultures. His new music marks a creative transition. He’s leaning into his cultural heritage and musical roots—but also the man he’s become.