Iam Tongi was named the winner of American Idol 23 Sunday night (May 21). The only thing getting more attention than his well-deserved win was his emotional tribute to his dad, Rodney.
18-year-old Iam Tongi lost his father two months before he auditioned for American Idol. The teen’s story resonated with the show’s judges and the audience alike as he recalled his dad’s influence on his life, saying that he could still hear his father’s harmonies every time he sings.
Tongi auditioned with the James Blunt song “Monsters,” a tear-jerking message to Blunt’s own father who struggles with serious health issues.
Blunt joined Tongi at last week’s American Idol finale to perform the song together. In what can only be described as one of the most heart-wrenching performances we’ve ever seen on the show, Tongi wept as he tried to sing the song.
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Shortly after his performance, Iam Tongi was named the winner of this season of American Idol. Fans of the singer flocked to his social media pages in hopes of learning more and hear more from the talented teen.
Among the videos found on Tongi’s YouTube channel are various duets he sang with his dad. From Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to “Gravity” by John Mayer, the blend of Iam and Rodney’s voices is beautiful.
But, perhaps the most poignant video was one posted on December 10, 2021, less than three weeks before Rodney died. In the clip, Rodney harmonizes as Iam plays guitar and sings Diamond Rio‘s “One More Day.” The song was released in 2000, but grew in popularity after the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt a year later.
The song’s touching lyrics tell of a man’s desire to spend just one more day with their loved one, offering to trade material things for more time.
Seeing the video of Iam and Rodney singing “One More Day” makes it even more powerful. Hear them sing in the video below.