Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| May 26, 2023 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
ABC/Eric McCandlessReading Time: 2 minutes
Iam Tongi was recently named the winner of American Idol Season 21. However, not everyone was happy about it, as some viewers accused the show of rigging the results. Tongi himself has responded to those comments, and he’s not letting it get him down.
Iam Tongi Responds to American Idol Rigging Rumors
Following Tongi’s win, some viewers took to social media to complain about the results. Some believed the show was rigged in Tongi’s favor, arguing that third-place finisher Colin Stough should have won. Others thought Tongi’s story of losing his father was the reason he won, rather than his talent.
“A lot of people are like, ‘Colin Stough was robbed,’ or whatever. And I just love it,” Tongi told The Daily Mail. “My dad always told me that your music’s not meant for everyone. There’s going to be people that are not going to like it and that’s OK, that’s normal. Everyone gets their own opinion. Everyone gets to think what they think. So, it’s fine.”
The 18-year-old went on to say that he responds to the hate by liking the posts. He also made sure to add that the comments from viewers don’t affect how he views Stough, who recently won Live with Kelly and Mark‘s Encore contest.
“I love Colin man, he’s such a kind guy. I’m going to see him again, we are going to jam out again and have fun,” Tongi said of his competitor. “But yeah … it makes me happy to see that people love other styles of music as much as I do. They love Colin that much [that they say], ‘He should have won.’ And that makes me happy, to be honest.”
SEE ALSO: MEET IAM TONGI, THE HEARTFELT SINGER IN ‘AMERICAN IDOL’S TOP 12
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Tongi Plans to Keep Being Himself
Tongi told The Daily Mail that he doesn’t intend to “chase after fans” who don’t like his style, adding, “I’m going to be myself and do what I love and just have fun while I’m doing it and see whatever happens, happens.”
The singer said his American Idol win hasn’t “really hit him yet,” although he’s already thinking about recording his first album. He said the project will have a “Jack Johnson kind of vibe.” Tongi explained, “I’m working on a lot of new stuff and I’m excited to share with people.”
In the meantime, fans can listen to Tongi’s single “I’ll Be Seeing You,” which he recorded as part of his time on Idol.
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