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 reality, he mentioned he “loves it.”
“Lots of people are like, ‘Colin Stough was robbed,’ or no matter. And I simply like it,” Tongi, 18, informed 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 a substitute of letting haters get to him, he throws a “like” to critics’ social media posts, explaining he simply has to “let these issues occur.”
“I’m responsible for liking it,” he admitted. “However look, [my] music’s not for everybody. And I’ve to study that the exhausting manner.”
He inherited his optimistic outlook from his late father, Rodney, who handed away in 2021 earlier than “Idol” auditions started.
“My dad at all times informed me that your music’s not meant for everybody. There’s going to be individuals that aren’t going to love it and that’s OK, that’s regular,” he added. “Everybody will get their very own opinion. Everybody will get to suppose what they suppose. So, it’s tremendous.”
The Put up has reached out to Tongi for remark.
Amid the web vitriol, he maintains there’s no unhealthy blood between him and the runners-up.
“I like Colin, man, he’s such a sort man. I’m going to see him once more, we’re going to jam out once more and have enjoyable,” he mentioned.
Actually, it makes Tongi “joyful” that viewers take pleasure in totally different genres of music, he mentioned, and he admires followers’ enthusiasm for Stough’s expertise.
“They love Colin that a lot [that they say], ‘He ought to have received,’” Tongi mentioned. “And that makes me joyful, to be trustworthy.”
However Tongi isn’t prepared to “chase after followers” — he appreciates his fanbase and the group that continues to assist him. He’s simply going to be himself, do what he loves, have enjoyable and “see no matter occurs,” he added.
Following his huge win, Tongi described the historic second as “wonderful” and thanked voters for the “loopy” 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-about leaving the present after producers “threw her below the bus.”
However Tongi, who shared he had “plenty of enjoyable” with the fact tv judges, mentioned Perry can be missed if she determined to exit.
“The assist [Katy] provides and the love [she] provides to the contestants can be missed,” mentioned Tongi, who introduced he’s engaged on new music he’s “excited to share.” “I might miss Katy [if she left].”
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