How faith and family influenced ‘American Idol’ winner Iam Tongi

Iam Tongi used to be afraid of sharing his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But not anymore.

“I’m trying to make it up now,” he said, “... and just tell people about the gospel when I can.”

The 18-year-old from Hawaii now has more people than ever before to listen. After recently winning “American Idol” Season 21, Tongi has over a million followers among Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — platforms where he has posted about his faith.

For instance, in an Instagram post earlier this year, he wrote, “The best is yet to come,” referring to President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2023 general conference talk, “Peacemakers Needed.”

Not long after that, he shared a video of himself with several other “American Idol” contestants in a hotel room, singing the Latter-day Saint hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour.”

His pre-”Idol” YouTube videos have also garnered some attention, such as one posted last year in which he performs “Amazing Grace” outside of the Oakland California Temple with fellow singer Eta Lauti.

In a Church News interview, Tongi recalled his family’s move to Seattle, Washington, several years ago, and how some of his new peers “talked bad” about the Church.

He stayed in the background then; but now he wants other Latter-day Saint youth to know that they can be proud of who they are.

“Don’t try to hide, because that’s how I was before,” Tongi said.