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 Ohau, 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 and 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.

Fijian twins born and raised in Hawaii, started their families in UT, sharing their love for music.

New album 'Avrakedabra'- stream/download: http://radi.al/AvrakedabraMH

About:
In the wake of their historical GRAMMY win for Best Reggae Album as the Producer and Artist for “Strictly Roots”, which was
released under their own independent label CTBC Music Group, the Iconic GRAMMY Award-Winning cultured driven band has
managed yet again to deliver another classic album. They achieved this by staying true to their formula of authentic Reggae with
an effusively eclectic mix. In their latest quest to keep Reggae music relevant in a continuously evolving world of music, Morgan
Heritage presents “Avrakedabra”.
Their Rolling Stones-reminiscent endurance, longevity and outstanding showmanship, makes the siblings a force to be reckoned
with. Not only in Reggae but also in music as a whole. Morgan Heritage’s name is duly cemented in history, as critics, fans and
music lovers anxiously awaited their new album. The untraditional creation of this album with recording sessions taking place
across 3 different continents highlights the groups effort of taking Reggae music to the 4 corners of the Earth.
Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/morganheritage
http://instagram.com/morganheritage
https://twitter.com/morganheritage
https://soundcloud.com/morganheritage
https://www.youtube.com/user/MorganHeritageTv
https://plus.google.com/+MorganHeritageTv
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/morganheritageofficial

ukaboii7 is following