The world met Iam Tongi when his emotional audition for American Idol went viral in 2023. Iam went on to win the competition, becoming the first Pacific Islander to do so.
Iam is a Latter-day Saint who grew up in Kahuku, Hawaii. He previously told LDS Living that he credits his family and his Heavenly Father for helping him through his American Idol journey.
“If it wasn’t for my father and Heavenly Father, then I wouldn’t be here in this competition,” Iam says. “When I follow Christ, then it always works out. I can’t deny it.”
Since winning American Idol, Iam has released several songs and music videos, including a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night” with the Rexburg Children’s Choir.
His latest project will soon be hitting the big screen: Iam sings “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” for the soundtrack of Disney’s new Lilo and Stitch. He is accompanied by the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus.
Iam Tongi in Lilo and Stitch
“I’m humbled and honored to perform ‘Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,’” Iam says on Disney’s YouTube channel. “Lilo and Stitch is such a huge part of any kid’s life who grew up in the Pacific Islands. It’s crazy how many times I would watch it with all my cousins and all my friends.”
The director of Lilo and Stitch, Dean Fleischer Camp, was grateful to have Iam contribute to the movie.
“Especially when you’re telling a story about Hawaii with this rich cultural history, it was really important to all of us that we had voices with a close connection to the culture,” Fleischer Camp says.
In addition to the cultural connection, Iam also resonates with the movie’s focus on family.
“It has such a strong message about ohana, family. It was honestly a dream come true. I can only hope my version of ‘Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride’ will live on in the hearts of a new generation of kids,” he says.
Iam also performed the song on American Idol on May 12 this year. You can watch clips of Iam performing the song on YouTube.
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