‘American Idol” winner Iam Tongi will be home for Christmas this year, and, unlike the lyrics of that bittersweet holiday classic, it won’t be only in his dreams.
The Hawaii native, who achieved national stardom when he won Season 21 of the popular network TV singing competition in 2023, has been living in Washington state since his family was “priced out of paradise” several years ago. But with many members of his extended family still living on Oahu, he’s coming home for Christmas to see them — and to play four nights at the Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki through New Year’s Eve.
“New Year’s in Hawaii is always the best,” Tongi said in a phone interview last week from a Memphis, Tenn., recording studio. “I don’t care what anyone says, it’s always the best because it’s such a small island. You can see all the fireworks going up and everything.”
This time, Tongi will be on stage Dec. 31 closing his Blue Note engagement with a New Year’s Eve countdown show. His upcoming appearances are described as an “intimate evening,” and compared to his previous shows in Hawaii they certainly will be.
Immediately following his triumphant run on “American Idol,” Tongi performed for an audience estimated at almost 14,000 people at Turtle Bay Resort in May 2023, returning for two more big shows there in July 2023.
He came home again for concerts at Blaisdell Arena and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in December of that year.
“The Blue Note is gonna be different,” Tongi said. “It’s not anything like I’ve done before: four days, eight shows, two shows a day. It’s gonna be fun, man, that’s all I know. The musicians — I’m bringing world-class musicians from all over the place — and I’m excited. It really gets me going. I’m excited for this.”
“Moving away (in 2019) was tough, but coming back really, you know, it just feels like I’m back home every time I go back. I’m excited for these shows, man. Yes, sir!”
Tongi was interviewed during a break from a recording session, working on songs for his upcoming album. Until recently his best-known original song was “Why Kiki?”, a catchy video single he recorded with some friends last year in Waikiki and rural Oahu.
His newest release is an exquisite Christmas single, “Silent Night,” that he recorded with the Rexburg Children’s Choir in November. (Both music videos are available on YouTube.)
“I’m here in Memphis working on my new project, a new album, working on the music and whole bunch of songs, yes, sir, working on the music and getting ready for more touring next year. I’ve been working a lot in Nashville, and here in Memphis, and I just been nonstop on the grind — writing, working, finding great music and writing great music.
“The highlights have been going on tour and playing all these shows,” Tongi said. “I get to meet all these new people and getting their connections in this industry. It’s a tough industry, but I’ve met a lot of good people that’s been helping me. It’s been a journey.”
The grind of touring is smoothed by fans who bring local food to his shows — “They cook for me, and I love it!” — and he gets questions from young hopefuls who want to know how a guy who took up the ukulele at the age of 13 achieved national stardom at 18.
Tongi described meeting one of them at the Memphis airport.
“I just flew in to Memphis from Seattle — I went to go visit my mom in Seattle — and this young kid walked up to me. He’s a Native American, Indigenous, and he asked me for my advice. What I told him was, ‘It takes time, and it takes hard work, and it’s not always gonna work out how you think it’s gonna work out. Just be patient and it will come to you.’ That’s all I told him. He looked confused, but I hope that it helped him.”
Tongi’s fans know that the virtues of patience and dogged determination were the foundation of his career success.
“I tried out for ‘The Voice’ and it was horrible,” he recalled. “I tried out for ‘American Idol’ once (before Season 21) and made it past all these (preliminary) rounds … and then they said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and they kind of killed my confidence.
“There were so many times I fell down. I got discouraged multiple times, and I just kept having to pick myself back up and keep going. And that’s all it takes. But if it wasn’t for my mom and my dad always pushing me.”
Tongi said his mother was the one who signed him up for Season 21 without his knowledge.
“So it’s easy to say right now, but I’m glad I didn’t give up, and I hope that people know that now.”
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Iam Tongi
>> Where: Blue Note Hawaii
>> When: Friday, Saturday and Dec. 30, 6:30 and 9 p.m. (doors open at 5 and 8:30 p.m.); Dec. 31, 8 and 11 p.m. (doors open at 6 and 10 p.m.)
>> Tickets: $85 to $95, plus $10 per person minimum.
>> Info: bluenotejazz.com/hawaii/ or 808-777-4890.
