Iam Tongi delivered yet another soulful tribute to fatherhood on the May 14 episode of "American Idol," landing him a coveted spot in the Top 3.
The 18-year-old Season 21 contestant from Hawaii finished off the "Disney Night" episode with a performance of the 1970 song “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens, featured in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."
Tongi performed “Father and Son” while playing the guitar and belting the lyrics to the song, which uncoils a dynamic between a father and his son who wants to pave a different path.
Tongi finished his performance to the applause of the audience who took some time to settle down even as judge Lionel Richie began to offer his critique.
“You have to understand something. There’s a moment in time in your life when magic happens — and, my friend, this is magical for you because this is a time when all the stars align,” Richie remarked.
Katy Perry — who stood out during the evening while dressed as fictional superhero Helen Parr from “The Incredibles”— threw down the gauntlet when she declared her belief that Tongi would win the entire season.
“I believe it’s written in the stars,” Perry said. “I don’t believe in coincidences. I know that you’re Iam, but when I see your name, I see ‘I am the next "American Idol."'"
“Katy putting it out there,” Luke Bryan replied.
In April, Tongi’s performance of “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel prompted fans to reflect on how his father’s passing brought an extra layer of sentiment to his songs.
“Iam Tongi sings from the heart and has a gift which you cannot really teach, the way he sings touches your soul, and the tone of his voice is so soothing, you just want to hear more and more,” one person wrote on YouTube. “Whether he wins idol or not is irrelevant, he’s able to share his incredible voice with us and his humbleness and humility (shine) through. Iam your father would be absolutely proud of you, and so are millions of people who watch you.”
“When Iam’s dad passed away, he didn’t want to sing anymore,” Tongi’s mother explained in the episode. “He kept saying that every time he sings, he can hear his dad back him up. After talking with him, (I shared) with him that it’s a beautiful thing that he could hear his dad.”
In addition to "Father and Son," Tongi sang a wholehearted rendition of “Lava” from the musical short film of the same name in the May 14 “American Idol” episode.
