‘American Idol’ Winner Iam Tongi Sells Out Back-To-Back Shows At California’s Legendary Troubadour
The American Idol winner will be joined by special guest, Mishka.
Iam Tongi; Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless
Iam Tongi’s successful run has continued at full speed since winning American Idol. The rising singer/songwriter is making the most of his early career with various performances and opportunities that allow him to showcase his musical talents. Next up, he will be heading to West Hollywood, CA where he will perform back-to-back sold-out shows at the Troubadour.
He’ll take the stage in front of the full crowds on Monday, July 24 and Tuesday, July 25 as part of his first-ever tour. Fellow musician, Mishka, has been tapped to join as the special guest for both nights.
On July 12, Tongi took to Instagram to let fans know tickets were running low for the upcoming shows. A little over a week later, the venue announced that both shows had completely sold out.
The 18-year-old kicked off his headlining run on Friday, June 23 with an appearance at the first-ever BEACH IT! Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Since then, he’s traveled to shows in Hawaii and Washington with more dates to come in California and New Zealand.
Iam Tongi hit the road just days after graduating from Federal Way’s Decatur High School in Federal Way, WA. He recently returned to Seattle, WA where he was recognized by the Metropolitan King County Council for his recent win on the singing competition show.
During his appearance at the King County Courthouse, Tongi stepped up to the podium to say a few words of gratitude surrounding his journey of Idol and everything he represented for the competition. The singer can proudly say since the show’s inception in 2002, he is the first Washington state resident as well as the first Hawaiian and Pacific Islander to take home the ultimate title.
“Winning the show has been amazing. Just going on the show itself to represent my people and where I come from has been awesome,” Tongi shared
As he concluded his speech, Tongi revealed that one of the best outcomes of this win is having the chance to return the support to his loved ones who have always been by his side.
“[I want to] provide for my family mostly. I want to just make music and maybe one day, my mom doesn’t have to work. [I’ll] buy her a house or something,” he said.
Iam Tongi kickstarted his music career when he first auditioned for the singing competition show with an emotional performance of James Blunt’s 2019 hit “Monsters.” Judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan instantly took note of his special artistry and granted him a golden ticket.
Throughout his journey on Idol, he often reflected on the fact that everything he was doing was for his late father, who had passed away just a few months prior to his audition. Tongi also made it a point to keep his father close by performing with a guitar that he had previously gifted Tongi. This experience allowed him to connect with the audience through his incredible storytelling that moved his fellow contestants, and the Idol judges time and time again.
In the end, Tongi faced off against finalists Megan Danielle and Colin Stough. During the star-studded finale, which aired Sunday (May 21), he used his final moments on the show to prove his already-established talent through several performances before claiming the ultimate title.
After Iam Tongi takes over the Troubadour, he will head to Paso Robles, CA. on July 27 to perform at the California Mid State Fair.
In addition to his 10-date run, Tongi revealed to KITV4 that fans can expect more new music from him in the near future.
“I have a lot of new songs but I have a new single that’s about to drop. And its’ called, ‘Why Kiki?’ But not Waikiki. The girl’s name is Kiki and you’re like ‘Why Kiki?’” he explained.
Fans got a preview of the soon-to-be-released track in a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process that Iam Tongi recently shared to Twitter.
The upcoming track will follow a string of releases for Tongi, including his debut single, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
