Current:Home > MyIam Tongi Wins American Idol Season 21 -Golden Horizon Investments
Iam Tongi Wins American Idol Season 21
View
Date:2025-04-18 08:22:08
Dim the lights, we have a new American Idol winner.
Following a three-hour season finale on May 21, host Ryan Seacrest announced Iam Tongi as the champion of the competition series, beating out Megan Danielle, as well as Colin Stough, who was eliminated earlier in the night.
(Megan, Colin and Iam were previously announced as the final three contestants during May 14's "Disney Night" episode.)
Prior to crowning the new winner, Megan, Colin and Iam all took the stage one last time to perform.
The season finale also included star-studded performances from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, along with former American Idol stars Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard.
Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Daigle, Pitbull and TLC also took the stage during the finale, along with former Idol judge Keith Urban, who also mentored the three finalists.
In late April, Lionel couldn't help but gush over the talented artists he met this season.
"The top 12 are ridiculous, the top 20 was ridiculous," he told E! News. "Every one of them can be a number one artists, without a doubt."
Why? For the Grammy winner, it's all about style. "Everyone has a different twist on their talent," he said. "So at this point, I'm so happy we're not voting as the judges." (Like in past seasons, the public took over voting halfway through the competition.)
"Their voices, their attitude...look how much they've grown," he said of this season's contestants. "From those little shy kids you saw at the auditions to now...oh!"
The May 21 finale came just days after it was announced that Idol had been renewed for another season, which will be its seventh on ABC and 22 season overall. (The series previously aired on Fox before moving to ABC in 2017.)
Get the drama behind the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!veryGood! (78548)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Whoopi Goldberg calling herself 'a working person' garners criticism from 'The View' fans
- Up to 20 human skulls found in man's discarded bags, home in New Mexico
- Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert Details “Full Circle” Reunion With Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- What is best start in NBA history? Five teams ahead of Cavaliers' 13-0 record
- Are Dancing with the Stars’ Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber Living Together? She Says…
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long record of promoting anti-vaccine views
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Tennessee suspect in dozens of rapes is convicted of producing images of child sex abuse
Ranking
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Jason Kelce Offers Up NSFW Explanation for Why Men Have Beards
- Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
- Kyle Richards Swears This Holiday Candle Is the Best Scent Ever and She Uses It All Year
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- Hurricane-stricken Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Yankees’ spring training field in Tampa
- Cruel Intentions' Brooke Lena Johnson Teases the Biggest Differences Between the Show and the 1999 Film
- Inter Miami's MLS playoff failure sets stage for Messi's last act, Alexi Lalas says
Recommendation
Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
Food prices worried most voters, but Trump’s plans likely won’t lower their grocery bills
Suicides in the US military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
Shel Talmy, produced hits by The Who, The Kinks and other 1960s British bands, dead at 87
The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
Jennifer Lopez Gets Loud in Her First Onstage Appearance Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
Man who stole and laundered roughly $1B in bitcoin is sentenced to 5 years in prison
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year