From a broken heart kid who had to leave his home and then loses his dad to a worldwide superstar in a few short months is a journey in life that I will never forget

The season was bittersweet. This was the reason I fell in love with American idol the first season. It felt so real and authentic. As the years passed I lost interest due to the same winners over and over again and I never felt engaged to a certain singer. Then here comes Iam. From his first audition, I never have cried after someone had sung. Kind of like a healing of sadness over my body and it was overwhelming that I had to cry. His music has touched many souls and that’s what true artistry is. Not about Belting the highest notes you can. Amazing job Iam. Amazing job idol. I’m so sad it’s over but I’m so happy for Iam.

Living proof that you don't need a 4+ octave range or incredible belting power to be successful. His delivery of emotion in every song (even outside of Monsters) is unbelievable, just captivating through and through.

This is the first time an idol winner won the competition at the audition. It was magic all season long. In 5 years, we will forget he is an idol winner and we know him as Iam Tongi, superstar musican

I’ve lost count on how many time I’ve listened to him while I read. We all needed him at this time in our lives.

He is amazing! No need for special props, devils in costumes, or dancers in bikinis! Just his voice and his guitar! Wow! simply wow!

At 18 years old , Iam Tongi is the one that touched people's hearts and moved people to tears the most in the history of the show with his raw , authentic & genuine deliveries.

The voice we all needed💙 Thank you Iam for representing the islands with pure grace. I hope whoever is reading this finds peace and abundance in their lives!

Listening to all of his performances from start to finish, it was clear he had a gift in the audition -- perfect song choice too. The joy was watching him grow and gain the confidence. Probably one of the most deserving winners in AI history. America got it very right with Iam.

I knew he was the next American Idol the minute he started singing! I was Team Iam Tongi till the end! Thank you everyone from Around the World for voting for Iam Tongi!! 🤗😘

The emotion and soul in his voice is beautiful. His audition and duo with James Blunt brought me to my knees in tears. This young man is a very rare and special talent! I hope he has tons of happiness and success throughout his life

Crazy how every performance the audience was silent like they were in awe of him. As soon as he sang “I cant make you love me” it was his season. Audition was top level but he showed his true talent in the first time with an audience. Congratulations Iam you are a blessing

One of if not the greatest talent show stars ever. He absolutely captivated the audience at every turn and his performances improved dramatically which is what this show is about. Turning raw talent into a show-stopping musician. I really hope he gets to move back to Hawaii ❤

Anyone thinking, Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo`ole reincarnated!!!!! This is how you do covers! Either with equally the same passion or better! Iam Tongi not only made it better, but injected LIFE and SOUL to every song. And America, you got it right this time! You make me believe in y’all again! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Is 1:14am midnight and I can’t sleep because I’m addicted to listening and watching you Iam Tongi. I feel like all my problems go away when I’m listening to you, you’re not just a musician you’re also a healer, you healed my soul

Commenting after continuous listening upto 20:25 sec. I have never listen to any voice so long. He is a Gem. We need to treasure it. Love you IAM Tongi💙 God bless you. Thank AI for giving us IAM 👍

Tongi, you won because of your many talents, hard work, showing up and showing out. Don’t let no one hold you back; no negative comments etc. you keep marching forward holding your head high, your father in heaven is proud of your win that you won🥇🎶🎤🎸👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💿

My husband died 12 years ago but Iam's "Monsters" drove me completely out of control with tears. And for some inexplicable reason I continue to listen to it expecting a different result!!! I don't understand myself. I just love it and James Blunt was masterful with those lyrics.

Iam Tongi has captured the hearts of millions of people across the world. WELL DONE, IAM; CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Having lived in Hawaii and seeing IZ live, he has his spirit. Love this young man. He will do great things. ❤

Wow. He changed the way I should listen to "The Winner Takes It All" song. Beautifully sung. A gifted singer.

Just watching how uncomfortably emotional that first song makes the judges, priceless

Thank God for him to be in our world. The most natural singer I’ve ever heard. We sure need him at this time. Love you Iam!! I thank your mom for signing you up also because she knew you were destined for this. I also want to thank this channel for sharing this video!!

Lost count of how many times I’ve replayed this reel. Amazing how many genre’s he covers and then makes them his own. If that’s not a talent on it’s own then I don’t know what is. Much respect Iam Tongi

He truly is an original. Always moving the judges with pure emotion, crying, on the somber songs then seeing them smile and dance with that Hawaiian vibe when performing island reggae. They always stood up after every performance. His competitors couldn’t take their eyes off of him & were in complete awe of his performances. Not only that, but every single time he performed, he got the audience dancing, screaming and cheering him on every other verse. He is an incredible storyteller. Every song he sings is pure, heartfelt and magical. He is unmatched. So charismatic with Aloha spirit and so talented. There is no one like him. He puts a smile on everyone’s face, he draws a crowd now wherever he goes and not 1 person has said anything negative about him. His parents did so well in raising him and you could feel the love he has for his parents. His dad would be so proud. I would pay to see him perform, buy his whole album and play it on repeat all day and night. He makes you forget your troubles and brings peace to everyone’s heart. God bless you and your family Iam, you deserve the world and infinitely more. Don’t ever change and stay as authentic as you are. I know you will be able to move back to paradise and you make everyone proud. Thank you for putting all his performances together. Great job!

Wow, his performance of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" was absolutely stunning. LOL at the stunned faces of the other contestants at 3:22. I think they knew at that moment this was gonna be the season of Iam Tongi. A truly deserving winner of American Idol.

I can listen to your voice all day long....so honest, so pure, no gimmicks, just a man story-telling to music. Love it.

IAM is the only singer I’ve heard that had the whole wide world in tears thru several of the songs he sang on American Idol. He had a way of capturing our hearts to feel the pain and hurt he was feeling. Such a beautiful soul with voice so full of emotion that we all could feel it.

What a beautiful voice. May your Father RIP. He raised an amazing son.

His voice is filled with pain and hope, just as our lives were filled with pain these last three years and now we know hope, once again. His phrasing is superb. He never once used his singing to say - "look at me". He just told stories, many of which originated a half century before he was born. I nominate him for Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

I’ve never cried so much from the voice and story of a singer in my life. Well done Iam! You deserve it.

Connectivity trumps all in music and this young man truly nailed it. So refreshing to witness in todays industry

What i love most about Iam is not just his soulful voice, but he stayed humble, he made friends with his competitors through their journey, and most importantly his confidence grew. In the beginning he was unsure and heavily relied on his father and his guitar, but each performance he grew more and more confident! So happy he won and can represent Hawaii!!🤙🏽🌺

His voice is so calming and so emotional...its like a big warm hug from him every time he sings...absolutely beautiful

Pacific Islanders everywhere so proud of him 🎉👏

Superb performance, consistent all through the season. He just stole the heart of everybody. Would love to buy his 1st Album. This is just amazing performance...

Iam's voice and heart are so pure and beautiful. From his first note until his last on the Idol stage, his talent, joy, and heartbreak touched hearts and souls all over the world. He is exactly the kind of performer we need right now. Iam wears his kindness and heart on his sleeve, and he pours his heart into every performance. God bless you, Iam. Mahalo nui loa, for the beauty you bring to a hurting world.

This is a true meaning of "Opportunity meets Preparation". His father prepared him well and enough for this moment. He now stepped in to provide for his mother and siblings at 18 years old while honoring the memories of his dad....❤❤❤❤❤

Im ADDICTED TO IAM...ITS BEEN 9 days already listening to him..I NEVER GET TIRED OF HIM...❤

Iam Tongi inspired me to open up and reach out to my dad like I never have before. He inspired me to spark a new kind of relationship with with my dad while he is still here and before we say goodbye.

This not only shows Iam’s journey through American Idol, to me it also shows his personal journey towards healing and you can see, hear and feel his feelings in each song. The way his emotions was released in his duet showed just how much feeling he has for his dad, his mom and everyone. I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for the world. Me as a mom would wanna tell him, “Baby boi, you can begin healing, life has just begun and you have all the blessings of your dad and the world.” Mahalo for sharing his journey. 🤙🏽❤️🥰

When I first saw his first audition, I was so overcome with emotion that I fell in love with how he sang. Every time he sings, my heart is moved, and I cannot control my emotions. I knew Iam Tongi would be treasured by all and that he would be the WINNER. My favourite season !! You have won the hearts of the world and deserve the crown, Iam Tongi.

Guardian Angel Dad dancing and singing with complete happiness every time his Baby Boy sings. Healing has begun. Congratulations kid and nothing but sky, so reach them heavens with that amazing talent!

I am happy I followed his journey and he gets better with every performance. I'm in awe. I want him to do his own version of all the songs he sang and put in an album. That will be an awesome album. 👌

KIAORA❤WHEN THE UNIVERSE HEARD YOU SING FOR THIS 1ST TIME EVERYONE WHO LISTENED SHED A TEAR OF LOVE FOR YOU.

Iam Tongi’s soulful singing voice cuts like a knife into the hearts of millions bringing out the humility and humanity of any person who’s deep love to a loved one who has already gone to heaven!!! My wife and I had been residing in Honolulu for over 4 decades and we have been also entwined into Hawaaiian/Reggae/Island Style music and we love it!!! We have supported Iam from his very raw and very emotional audition of James Blunt’s Monsters till the last song he sang!!! We have been listening to his songs he sang on American Idol and we don’t get tired and we are left teary eyed. My wife’s late father and late mother has been gone for so long and my late Papa and my late Mama also have already to heaven, but still, our hearts still llong for their presence in our lives. Iam Tongi’s win is a testament that our hearts still cry out for our lost love ones!! Kahuku, his hometown, the city and county of Honolulu and the state of Hawaii are very proud of a local kid who is now the American Idol 2023 winner!!! Congratulations, Iam!!!🤙🤙🤙😎😎😎🌈🌈🌈

This is awesome! I have been moved by this young man's voice since his first audition ❤ He sings from a place few singers can, deep in his soul😊

This is a beautiful tribute to a very deserving young man. You did him proud!

MOST SATISFYING PERFORMANCE OF ALL PERFORMANCES

Watching a recap of Iam’s journey reinforces what I thought about him from his audition: he doesn’t just sing to you. He draws you into the song and what he’s feeling. This means he didn’t have to do a ton of vocal gymnastics to draw votes or connect to his audience. You can also tell he had fun with some of the songs, and that fun is infectious. 🤙🏽

Thanks for compiling all his songs! I can never get tired watching I Am sing. He is so endearing! God gifted him this talent to touch so many hearts. I wanna hug you, I Am. You are a blessing to all of us. You move me to tears and you make me smile so much. You have a special way of tugging at the heartstrings!

love this guy he sings from the heart and touches every ones heart at the same time.....great job

This recap is absolutely awesome. We don't get Idol here anymore but I watched on KZfaq and caught his audition,brought tears. Congratulations Iam from New Zealand. 🎉

Just love this young man. The heart Polynesian singers put in to their music is irresistible.

I'm not crying, you are..at least this is what I kept telling myself after watching & crying 15 times😢😢... every single person who commented here said what I wanted to say. I can't say no more cause I'm in tears again writing this. Congratulations Iam. Thank you so much for touching every single heart with your voice. Thanks Talentkid for putting this video together ❤💓

Imagine for a moment what a phenomenal mother Iam has been blessed with! So grand is this woman her own husband knew she would be able to complete the task they originally planned together. Rodney is going and doing in another place EQUALLY important. THIS FAMILY WILL BE TOGETHER FOREVER. Seriously, they will be together for ETERNITY.

Ian absolutely does not have to change a thing to succeed in the music industry. I hope he stays true to what makes people love his music.

We're so proud of IAM. Haven't watched AI since Kelly Clarkson, lol. IAM brought the joy of entertainment back into AI. We grew up on the same music he did & that's what America has been missing...good music delivered by a vocalist with soul!

Iam pulled all of the contestants together with his personality and love for people. There has never been another season where they all loved each other. I credit Iam for that. ❤

My first time hearing him singing (I haven't watched America Idol forever). I can clearly hear why he has won, his voice was pure and clear. He didn't try to sound like someone else, he sang and sound like himself.

IAM TONGI has captured me with his raw emotions and movi g perfomances. I wish him the greatest success . Thank you Iam for touching our hearts 💕

The best singer that I've ever seen on AGT. God bless him and his family❤

The way he draws the audience in and the emotions in his performances, that’s what won him the title. I just had to come here to see why everybody is so salty that he won, I can immediately see why he’s the American idol. F*** the haters! He’s amazing 🥲 ❤

IAM Tongi is out off this world could listen to him singing and never get sick off his angel voice your dad's with u in spirit 🙏🙏❤️❤️ sings from the heart

Wow! What a voice no gimmicks! Just stand and deliver! Well deserved win young man!

You can just see how much progress he made throughout the whole season and seeing that smile just get bigger each performance. Wonderful season!

American Idiol Best season by far! All contestants were top rated. Judges you are an elite team. Iam words cannot express the love, warmth and genuine emotions you brought to us. To you, parents and community continuing Blessings. Keep soaring!!!❤

Iam Tongi, Your voice is so beautiful and the way you perform each song is amazing. I had chills from head to toe, tears in my eyes, a smile on my face all from your performances. You sang from your heart and touched so many all over the world. I’m so glad you won!!! Thank you for sharing your talent with us. ❤

That Volcano 🌋💥 Iam Has Erupted Into The Hearts Of American Idol 2023! 💕❤️💖 We Lava You Too! 😍🥰

Hi TalentKing please don’t take this down I have it in my playlist. I have trouble sleeping sometimes and now I can listen to Iam and like his dad’s singing helps him sleep…he helps me sleep too. Better than any meds!

I just wanna give a shout out to TALENTKINGHD for uploading Iam Tongi Journey and ALL the other contestants of 2023 American Idol! A lot of reactor’s been taking your contents and showing it! Much props to your channel! Much Mahalo and Aloha! 🤙🤙😊

What gets me every time is at 1:30 Iam looks for his father as he says that line, as if he is there harmonizing with him. Brings me to tears every time. You miss your dad, I feel your pain little brother. Stay strong everyone.

Damn, he slays that reggae beat ❣️♥️❣️ Absolutely fantastic ❣️

What more can I add that others haven't already said about this young man, Iam. His gift to music is his ability to sing with heart and true emotion. His tone resonates with the sound of angels and it is soothing to the soul. Thank you Iam.

Why am I still here? ❤️ I listen to this when I go to bed and when I get ready for work! And the drive to work ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I seriously didn’t know my heart needed this all these years ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Congratulations IAM Tongi!! So much love from the Eastcoast- Boston, MA!!! We all love you!!! You have such an angelic tone!! Thank you for shining through for your father!! He must be so proud right now!! Looking forward to the future IAM!!! ❤❤❤

Sounds of silence was done perfectly ❤

What a beautiful soul this young man is. I can listen to him all day. And I love watching the judges reactions everytime he sings. You can see how he touches them.

After the first day of audition I'm still crying..😢Love IAM..He is bless with a beautiful voice...

My favorite singer of all time: Iam Tongi

Iam Tongi was so good, he was able to just vibe through the whole competition. Well done Iam

I picked him as the winner then. I’ve not kept up with the show and didn’t know he won, but not surprised. He’s not just an amazing singer but he’s just got such a Lovable, easy vibe about him.

From the moment he sang at the audition, He was THE one! Congratulation IAM Tongi 🙏🏾🇬🇧

I felt he was the best from the second I heard him. I'm an old guy so for me the only guys that have brought this kind of emotion for me in their songs are Bob Dylan and Neil Young; Iam is just an amazing talent.

My little girl likes to listen to this video at night, she falls asleep singing to it with me. Sometimes she will peak at the screen and say I love you Iam. I love your songs.

Just amazing Iam Tongi❤. Your dad is so proud of you. Condolences for the loss of your dad. We lost our dad 17 yrs ago and it still feels like it was yesterday. God bless you and congratulations!

I'm so proud of this young man ❤️. His audition where he sang Monsters for the judges was 7 days after my own Dad passed away and not only did it help my sons and I begin healing but Monsters is the song that we use to help us get through this hard time. It's been three months since my Dad died and he lived with us for decades to help us out and then for the last few years as his health deteriorated we helped him out. We miss him so much ❤️😞. Iam was the right winner of American Idol 😊👍. Way to go 😁. I hope he becomes a success ❤️.

I could listen to Iam's beautiful smooth voice for hours. He is definitely an original, and deserves the win & the love that all of the contestants and judges have shown for him.

The most raw and authentic storyteller from the islands that made us feel his heart with every lyric he sings❤

Every song he sings=goosebumps

All the songs he sing are relatable for young and old generations. Superb selection. Congratulations!!!

I think I needed Iam this year to help with my healing journey ❤️ Everything I can’t express in words were sung 😭❤️🕊️

He’s such a talented and soft hearted young man who already has experienced such loss. He’s deserving of the win and I pray his life goes well.

Lost my dad to cancer. I still miss him a lot he taught me so much as well. It’s a great thing that families can be together forever. Iam tongi you are an angel to millions of us. Thank you.

His first audition drew me in to watch this show again. I haven’t watched the show in ages. I am so pleased he won. I hope he is able to go back home to Kahuku Hawaii with his family. It broke my heart that his family was priced out of paradise and lost his father.

He's another world voice for himself. OMG he peacefully brings people to his sound. Make them cry, enjoy, dream...

This kid could go so far if they put a band behind him keep him in his element people love a good soulful sound we miss that.

Thank you for this compilation of Iam’s performances❤️❤️❤️the world needed Iam Tongi🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

He always make me emotional tongi sings from the heart and you can feel it.Great achievement tongi keep shinning.

wow.. his voice is so amazing and real.. That audition had a lot of people in tears