Grab the tissues for this one.
Iam Tongi made a lasting impression on the panel of American Idol judges to tears during his audition through his emotional performance.
The Hawaiian high school student walks into the room and shares that he lost his father, Rodney, only a few months ago.
As he speaks to the judges, you can see his heart ripping open with emotion and the love he shared for his father.
“For all my life, my dad told me that singing is the only thing that was meant for me. The main reason I do music is because of my dad.
That is how we bonded, but since he’s passed away, things have been hard.”
He goes on to share that he can still hear him harmonizing with him on every song and you can already tell, this one is gonna be a punch to the gut.
Iam starts the intro for the song “Monsters” by James Blunt, which he dedicates to his father, and oh my stars, these lyrics…
As he sings:
“I’m not your son, you’re not my fatherWe’re just two grown men saying goodbyeNo need to forgive, no need to forgetI know your mistakes and you know mineAnd while you’re sleeping I’ll try to make you proudSo, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?Don’t be afraid, it’s my turnTo chase the monsters away…”
The judges start to tear up, and the camera pans to Luke Bryan dabbing his eyes with a tissue, Lionel Richie is losing it as well.
The weight of the emotion that Iam conveys through the song is palpable, even through a screen, so you can only imagine how the people in the room felt.
After the tune, there is not a dry eye in the house.
Luke says to him:
“I cannot handle your heartbreaking about your dad… just seeing you missing your dad just sucks. And, gosh, man, you’ve got a great voice.
You’ve got a great voice, and everything was just perfect.”
Of course, Luke lost his own brother, his own sister, and his sister’s husband, so he’s no stranger to the kind of heartache Iam is feeling right now.
After the unanimous yes to send Iam to Hollywood, Luke goes down onto the stage to hug the young man.
The power of music, people… there aren’t too many things that can bring an entire room to tears… but music can.