American Idol crowns Hawaiian winner

After a long journey of auditions, memorable performances, and intense competition, the latest season of American Idol reached its climax on Sunday night (May 21). 

The American audience had been well aware of the frontrunner for quite some time, and the grand finale crowned the young Hawaiian Iam Tongi the winner.

Throughout the special broadcasted on ABC, the three remaining contestants – Iam Tongi, Megan Danielle, and Colin Stough –  impressed viewers through solo performances and duets with renowned artists. The star-studded event featured appearances by Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Ellie Goulding, Lionel Richie, TLC, REO Speedwagon, Pitbull & Lil Jon, among others.

Eventually, America narrowed down the choices to Tongi and Danielle, leaving them as the last two contenders. In the end, there could only be one winner, and that was Tongi. With his captivating voice and heartbreaking story, he won the hearts of dedicated Idol fans over the past months. Each performance only added to his growing legend.

During the final showdown, Tongi delivered powerful renditions of Keith Urban's "Making Memories of Us," "Cool Down," and a deeply emotional tribute to his late father titled "I'll Be Seeing You." Additionally, he collaborated with James Blunt for a moving performance of "Monsters."

After the victory, armed with a recording contract, Tongi is ready to embark on a career in music.