Iam Tongi shares the emotional story of losing his father with the American Idol judges. And then, he goes on to perform a powerful rendition of ‘Monsters’ which has all three of the judges in tears!
Iam Tongi is an 18-year-old high school student from Hawaii that just lost his dad, Rodney, a few months ago. When he starts to talk about him with the judges, he gets very emotional.
“Take your time, take your time. It’s ok, man,” said Lionel Richie. “You know, when you love so deeply, you feel so deeply.”
As he wipes away his tears, Iam tells the judges that he is going to be singing ‘Monsters’ by James Blunt, and he is dedicating it to his dad.
Iam Tongi’s Emotional Audition For Late Father
His voice is absolutely incredible, and his performance will have you wiping the tears off your face. None of the judges could get through it without crying.
“I mean, what a fantastic song to pick,” said Katy Perry. She continues, “I feel like you could have written this song. I mean, you sang it, you delivered it, and you’re making these grown men cry. You hit a nerve. And that’s what great storytellers do. That’s what great artists do, and your voice is just so magnificent.”
“I cannot handle your heartbreaking about your dad,” Luke Bryan shared. “You know, my nephew lost his dad, and he came and lived with me. And just seeing you missing your dad just sucks. And gosh man, you just got a great voice. You’ve got a great voice! You just did everything perfect, and I love ya! And I just wanna see you have fun in this whole thing, man.”
After the judges share their thoughts with Iam Tongi, they let him know that they will be seeing him again in Hollywood!
“The main reason why I did music was because of my dad. That’s how me and my dad bonded. But ever since he passed away, it’s been hard,” Iam says at the end of his audition while holding his golden ticket. “This one’s for Rodney. Yeah, for my dad.”
What an amazing and emotional performance! We cannot wait to see what Iam does next.