Current:Home > StocksIam Tongi Wins American Idol Season 21 -PrimeFinance
Iam Tongi Wins American Idol Season 21
Rekubit View
Date:2025-04-09 14:14:25
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! (592)
Related
- Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
- McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
Recommendation
Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?