18-year-old Hawaii native Iam Tongi had an extremely powerful, and deeply emotional duet with singer James Blunt.
During his initial audition, he performed “Monsters,” a ballad about a father and so.
That was after Tongi told the judges about his father’s death, and how his dad was responsible for getting him into music.
Music was what father and son shared.
Tongi dedicated his moving audition to his father, and that earned him a standing ovation from judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
He is no stranger to bringing out emotions and showing them.
Tongi’s take on Simon & Garfunkel’s classic “The Sound of Silence” had fans and judges shaking their heads in amazement.
And now on stage, he sings “Monsters” again.
The song was written by James Blunt, Amy Wadge, and Jimmy Hogarth, and it was released in 2019 when Blunt’s own father was battling stage four chronic kidney disease.
It’s a song with a heart-wrenching narrative.
Iam sings it with all his loving heart.
A song that talks about a father-son relationship that served as a brave farewell letter to his father, like he was giving his dad the painful approval to pass on.
The Hawaii native lost his father just months before taking the Idol stage.
Blunt and Tongi, singing together, alternated verses until emotions got the best of the 18-year-old.
45 seconds in and he was wiping his eyes, his voice choking as he could barely sing.
But Tongi did manage to get through the touching lyrics with a huge lump in his throat, and can you blame him?
Blunt, ever the professional, looks over and sees Iam teary eyed so he takes over whenever he has to.
“I’m not your son, you’re not my father. We’re just two grown men saying goodbye. No need to forgive. No need to forget. I know your mistakes and you know mine.” sings Tongi.
Blunt then steps in, his signature voice full of emotion as well, “And while you’re sleeping, I’ll try to make you proud. So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes? Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn to chase the monsters away.”
Tongi and Blunt’s dads are watching together, looking down proudly on their sons, as they share a cold one up there.
Everyone, including the judges, were shedding tears as the powerful duet took hold of them.
Especially Iam’s mom as this viewer noted,
“His mom. She sees him crying and holds herself together to be strong in front of him when inside she weeps. She grieves the loss of her husband and breaks seeing her son sad. Yet still she puts on a brave face for her son’s sake. My heart goes out to both of them. Beautiful performance. May Iam’s frowns be outnumbered by smiles. congrats, well deserved win.”
And once they wrap it all up, Blunt embraces the big Hawaiian native, a man with the heart of a small boy who longs for his father’s embrace.
Watch this touching duet in the video below!
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