Tongan Samoan American Iam Tongi is the new winner of American Idol.
The crowd favorite won America’s hearts from the moment of his audition, dedicating his audition song to his dad who had just passed away a few months earlier.
Tongi performed it again on the season finale with singer James Blunt of You’re Beautiful fame. The 18 year old drove himself and many in the audience to tears with his emotional rendition of Monsters.
Tongi was the favorite going into the finale, beating out country crooners Colin Stough who placed third and runner-up Megan Danielle.
“Just before you came on, I had to get a tissue. Every time you come on and sing, it goes through people’s hearts, and it just gets to them. It moves us so much. When you sing, I am ready to weep,” said judge Katy Perry, reported Parade.
(Editor Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled Tongi’s first name. We regret the error.)
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