Luke Bryan and Katy Perry couldn’t hold back their tears during Iam Tongi’s emotional performance during the American Idol Season 21 finale Sunday night. Tongi delivered a moving performance of “Monsters” alongside James Blunt, the performance proving emotional for not only Tongi and Blunt, but also for the judges and audience members, who could be seen wiping away tears.
The Sunday night performance was a special one for both Tongi and Blunt. Blunt wrote “Monsters” as a tribute to his father, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney Disease. Tongi lost his own father to a kidney illness. As the duo took the stage and belted out the heart-wrenching track, Tongi at one point was seen wiping away tears. The singer was not alone in the emotional moment, as Jelly Roll could be seen comforting Tongi’s mother in the crowd, with both Perry and Bryan shown crying and wiping away tears.
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During his American Idol audition, Tongi revealed that his father “passed away a couple months ago,” as he dedicated his audition performance of “Monsters” to his late father. The singer immediately won over the judges, who sent him through to Hollywood, with Tongi officially being crowned the Season 21 winner Sunday night.
‘Not a dry eye in the room’
“I’ll never recover from that performance of Monsters by Iam Tongi and James Blunt,” one viewer tweeted. “Not a dry eye in the room.”
‘I’m a puddle’
“Jelly Roll and Katy Perry are all of us listening to James Blunt and Iam Tongi’s touching performance of ‘Monsters,’” wrote another viewer. “I’m a puddle.”
‘Thank you’
“Thank you James Blunt for performing ‘Monsters’ with Iam Tongi,” one person wrote on American Idol‘s YouTube video of the performance. “This performance will always be remembered for its authenticity, humanity and beauty. When James changed the lyrics as he touched Iam’s arm-my goodness. You both make the world a better place.”
‘Such an emotional and beautiful moment’
“Didn’t think a performance could make me cry as much as Iam Tongi’s audition on American Idol. I was freakin wrong!!!” added somebody else. “Iam Tongi and James Blunt singing Monsters together. Even Katy Perry couldn’t hold back her tears this time.”
‘Impacted my soul’
“This performance truly impacted my soul,” tweeted one viewer. “his song is one that brings truth to those that miss their father’s (and mother’s) every day. Thank you [James Blunt] for this song (the video breaks me every time) and [Iam Tongi] for your beautiful rendition.”
‘Absolutely destroyed me’
“That was beyond incredible and absolutely destroyed me,” added another fan. “Thank you for such an amazing performance. Looking forward to the duet re-release.”
‘An AI duet for the ages’
“An AI duet for the ages. Two artists both baring their souls,” wrote somebody else. “[Lionel Richie] was right ‘when you love so deeply, you feel so deeply’. Thank you James for such a beautiful song. Your dad is always in your heart Iam, thanks for sharing your love for him with the world.”
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