AMERICAN IDOL's Iam Tongi Comes to Buffalo Bill’s Resort and Casino in March

American Idol Season 21 Winner Iam Tongi will bring his soul-infused lyrics and voice to the Star of the Desert Arena out at Primm Valley Resorts on Saturday, March 22 with doors at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $20 (plus applicable fees) and go on sale Friday, January 17 at 10 a.m. 

Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter Iam Tongi grew up in a community filled with music, first picking up the ukulele in fifth grade and soon singing to join the likes of his father and grandfather. It became a bonding moment for the three of them, specifically for Iam and his father who infused in him the love of music – from island reggae to country, classic rock and R&B. By 13 Tongi had played his first show. With his fluid style, warm vocal rasp and beaming optimism, Tongi easily cut through the din of the inattentive crowd, earning his first taste of the rush live performance offered. But when the family moved to Seattle, music truly became a lifeline.

Dropped into a culture he’d only seen on TV, the tender-hearted Tongi was slow to make friends, and found solace in music instead. In a devastating blow, Tongi’s father passed away in December 2021 – but not before encouraging his son to keep singing, one last time. Instead, the younger Tongi put his guitar away and tried to forget the music that brought back painful memories. This time, it was his mother who knew better. Secretly signing her son up for American Idol – a dream her late husband had long pushed for – she surprised Tongi with the news just two days before his audition. In one of Idol’s all-time emotional highlights, Tongi’s moving performance of James Blunt’s “Monsters” immediately went viral, and by the end of Season 21, Tongi had made history as the first Pacific Islander to ever win the show.

In 2024 Tongi connected with acclaimed songwriter/producer Johnny Reid and the pair’s instant connection rekindled Tongi’s creative drive. He now enters his next chapter with new songs, including his latest single “Road to Hana”. A bouncing, windows-down mix of upbeat island reggae and country heart, the track is a tribute to Hawaii with a clever romantic twist. Co-written by Tongi, Reid and Roy Morgan, it marks the first taste of a trove of new material. Leaning into his cultural heritage and musical roots, Tongi is celebrating the ever-changing magic of music - and of life itself.

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