William Tongi Biography (Iam Tongi)
William Tongi is a singer, songwriter, and performer from Kahuku, Hawaii who became widely known after auditioning on season 21 of American Idol.
Tongi started playing music at a young age. He learned how to play the ukulele from an instructor in fifth grade. He later started playing the guitar.
Tongi describes his music as a blend of country and alternative, but some listeners compare it to an island sound. He released a single called Dreams in 2020, which he wrote for his sister’s wedding.
William Tongi Ethnicity
Tongi is of Tongan/Samoan/Irish descent. He currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
William Tongi Age
Tongi is 18 years old as of 2023.
William Tongi Dad
Tongi’s dad was named Rodney Guy Tongi. He passed away just a few months before Tongi tried out for American Idol. Rodney was a musician himself and taught his son everything he knew about music. According to Tongi, his dad always encouraged him to pursue his passion.
William Tongi American Idol Audition
During his American Idol audition, Tongi sang Monster by James Blunt; a song that Blunt wrote for his own father who was dying of kidney failure. Consequently, William dedicated the song to his late dad.
Before he started singing, William broke down in tears. He said he could still hear his dad harmonizing with him on every song he sings. The judges comforted him and encouraged him to keep going. They were impressed with his voice and they all voted yes sending him through to Hollywood Week.
Tongi’s audition video has gone viral on YouTube, with over 9 million views as of the time this article was written. He has won many hearts with his sincerity and soulfulness.