Saturday, January 18, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.

Ilani Casino Resort * Ridgefield, WA

Lighting Up the Stage for Literacy with American Idol Season 21 Champion Iam Tongi

The event was a resounding success, thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, and attendees! American Idol Champion Iam Tongi put on an unforgettable concert at Ilani Resort in Ridgefield, WA in support of our mission to get more Imagination Library books to Washington children from birth to age five. 

If you did not get a chance to attend and still would like to support our mission, donations made through this link will be MATCHED dollar-for-dollar thanks to the very generous support of our partners at The Rose Foundation! CLICK HERE to make your donation today. 

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS!

About Iam Tongi

You can hear it in the gentle rasp of his wave-washed vocal soul. You can see it in his smile. For Iam Tongi, music is about transformation – and it always has been. A Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter and the Season 21 champion of American Idol, the 20-year-old Tongi first picked up a ukulele in the fifth grade, immersed in a deeply musical world filled with the traditional singing and dance of Pacific Island cultures. Living in the small town of Kahuku on the northern tip of Oahu, Tongi learned to sing from his father, who in turned had learned from his father before him. Clearly blessed with an expressive, charismatic voice, Tongi was pushed hard and developed a multi-faceted sound blending island reggae with the influence of his family record collection – which included country (Kenny Rogers), classic rock (Dr. Hook), and R&B (Luther Vandross). By 13 Tongi had played his first show, but after moving to Seattle a few years later – and losing his father in 2021 – the young talent nearly gave music up completely. His mother secretly signed him up for American Idol, and after Tongi’s viral audition performance of James Blunt’s “Monsters” became one of Idol’s all time emotional highlights, he went on to win Season 21, making history as the first Pacific Islander to ever win the show. With a thriving fanbase which supports millions of global on-demand streams, social media followers and nationwide concert tours, Tongi now begins a new chapter of life and music. Teaming up with acclaimed songwriter/producer Johnny Reid, his 2024 single “Road to Hana” marks a creative transition leaning into his cultural heritage and musical roots – but also the man he’s become. Fusing breezy beach balladry and sunshine country with laid-back soul, gospel, and more, new music is in the works, as Tongi looks to spread a feel-good message of positivity to the horizon, and beyond.