Tongi was reluctant to audition again, however he was able to appear in front of judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan.

[11] Tongi's audition, a rendition of James Blunt's song "Monsters", which he dedicated to his father, earned him a standing ovation from all three judges and a unanimous vote to the next round.

"[15] Blunt said of the performance, "I sang on American Idol with Iam Tongi, and actually he broke down in tears, and then you suddenly realize the desperation of that moment because poor him, his father had died.

"[16]Tongi's win left Idol fans divided, with some praising him while others criticized the show, saying he won on sympathy alone.

Hawaii recording artists and producers alike praised Tongi for bringing island music to a national stage.

Roman De Peralta, Kolohe Kai's frontman, said: "[The American Idol audience is] a demographic that we don't really get to share our culture, our island vibes with.

"[19] Native Hawaiian recording artist Kimie Miner added: "We don't see a lot of people like us being marketed in mainstream music.

It showed the world how AAPI artists are equally competitive in this music industry while we're still being true to our culture, representing our island life, heritage, and 'ohana.

We don’t want to look dumb or anything, so we just tried to just stick to our own lane.”[15]Before appearing on American Idol, Tongi released a single, "Dreams", which he wrote for his sister's wedding in 2020.

[24] Tongi credits Hawaii-born singer Jack Johnson for mentoring him and helping him navigate the music industry.

[26] During the tour, while both Tongi and Steele were on Oahu, a local guitar maker gifted the duo custom made, matching ukuleles to symbolize their friendship.

[27] On July 1, 2023, at a concert at the Turtle Bay Resort, Tongi surprised the audience by inviting Roman De Peralta from Kolohe Kai to join him on stage to perform "Cool Down", the same song he showcased on Idol.

Tongi apologized on social media, attributing the faux pas to being nervous performing in front of such a large crowd.

Encouraging his fans to donate, and expressing his love and support for the people of Maui, he sang a cover of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Starting All Over Again".

Tongi wrote on social media, "From covering it on TikTok 3 years ago to singing it in my audition on @americanidol, to performing it at the Idol finale with @jamesblunt , “Monsters” means so much to me.