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.

"Fat Boy (feat. Rick Ross)" Out Now!
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Kentucky-born artist Chris Stapleton is an 8x Grammy, 15x CMA and 15x ACM Award-winner and one of the country’s most respected and beloved musicians. In the past year, he’s been named Entertainer of the Year at the 58th ACM Awards—resulting in the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award—and Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2022 CMA Awards—his sixth time earning the award, setting the record for most wins ever in the category. The accolades follow Stapleton’s most recent album, 2020’s acclaimed Starting Over, which also won three awards at the 67th Annual GRAMMYs: Best Country Album, Best Country Solo Performance (“You Should Probably Leave”) and Best Country Song (“Cold”) in addition to earning Album of the Year honors at both the CMA and ACM Awards. The album follows Stapleton’s pair of Platinum-certified releases from 2017, From A Room: Volume 1 and From A Room: Volume 2, as well as his 5X Platinum breakthrough solo debut album, Traveller. Known for his electric live performances, Stapleton is currently in the midst of his extensive All-American Road Show Tour and also joins George Strait for select stadium shows this summer. In addition to his work as a musician, Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, are founders of the Outlaw State of Kind charitable fund, which supports a variety of causes that are close to their heart. Latest single, “White Horse” is out now!

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