Regardless of ending the season on a bitter notice, the latest “American Idol” champion isn’t bitter.
Iam Tongi, who made historical past as the primary Pacific Islander to win “American Idol,” isn’t fazed by the rigging accusations that accompanied Sunday’s triumph — in truth, he mentioned he “loves it.”
“A lot of people are like, ‘Colin Stough was robbed,’ or whatever. And I just love it,” Tongi, 18, instructed the Day by day Mail.
Tongi, of Samoan and Tongan heritage, reigned victorious within the twenty first season finale, beating out Stough, 18, and Megan Danielle, 20, however his win baffled followers who claimed the singing competitors was “rigged.”
As an alternative of letting haters get to him, he throws a “like” to critics’ social media posts, explaining he simply has to “let those things happen.”
“I am guilty for liking it,” he admitted. “But look, [my] music’s not for everyone. And I have to learn that the hard way.”
He inherited his optimistic outlook from his late father, Rodney, who handed away in 2021 earlier than “Idol” auditions started.
“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,” he added. “Everyone gets their own opinion. Everyone gets to think what they think. So, it’s fine.”
The Put up has reached out to Tongi for remark.
Amid the net vitriol, he maintains there’s no unhealthy blood between him and the runners-up.
“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,” he mentioned.
In actual fact, it makes Tongi “happy” that viewers get pleasure from totally different genres of music, he mentioned, and he admires followers’ enthusiasm for Stough’s expertise.
“They love Colin that much [that they say], ‘He should have won,’” Tongi mentioned. “And that makes me happy, to be honest.”
However Tongi isn’t keen to “chase after fans” — he appreciates his fanbase and the neighborhood that continues to assist him. He’s simply going to be himself, do what he loves, have enjoyable and “see whatever happens,” he added.
Following his huge win, Tongi described the historic second as “amazing” and thanked voters for the “crazy” expertise.
This season was judged by Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry, the final of whom was the middle of backlash and controversy.
An unidentified supply alleged to the Day by day Mail that the “California Gurls” singer thought of leaving the present after producers “threw her under the bus.”
However Tongi, who shared he had “a lot of fun” with the fact tv judges, mentioned Perry can be missed if she determined to exit.
“The support [Katy] gives and the love [she] gives to the contestants would be missed,” mentioned Tongi, who introduced he’s engaged on new music he’s “excited to share.” “I would miss Katy [if she left].”
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