Big things are happening for Iam Tongi.
The Season 21 winner of “American Idol” has lost more than 100 pounds.
While attending to the May 17 world premiere of “Lilo & Stitch” in Los Angeles, the singer told People that he has been “working on” himself and “trying to stay healthy.”
Tongi, 20, said he works with a personal trainer on an almost daily basis.
“We have a workout session maybe around 11, come back (home), and we go to an ice bath or sauna … or whatever it is. And then we come back, shower and go on a walk,” he said.
“And I’ve lost 115 lbs. It feels amazing. I feel great.”
The Hawaiian-born Tongi, whose song “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,” appears in the new live-action “Lilo & Stitch” movie, has also planted roots in a new home “I moved out to Memphis, so I’ve been working out, writing, recording, and just been busy — but in a different way,” he said.
Despite that, he says he still has nothing but love for Hawaii.
“It’s a great feeling to go home and just see the people and see them be excited when they see me. It’s such a good feeling. It’s a cool feeling,” he said.
Tongi first rose to prominence during his season of “American Idol” in 2023. His cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” resonated with viewers, who were moved by Tongi’s connection with his late father.
“When Iam’s dad passed away, he didn’t want to sing anymore. He kept saying that every time he sings, he can hear his dad back him up,” his mother said afterward. “After talking with him, (I shared) with him that it’s a beautiful thing that he could hear his dad.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
