Vocal Coach Analysis: IAM TONGI & James Blunt perform "Monsters" - American Idol Finale 2023 

Your words, beautiful humanity, are perfect. Pure love of young man for his father. It is almost as if he would change places with his father if he could. I have four siblings, and I was the last to speak with him four hours before his peaceful passing. He was not ill. He was 97 years old and happy. For some unknown reason, we had spoken of his mother and three siblings. He was the oldest of four and the last to pass. The same situation with my mother. Iam will be a stronger man for himself, and others will benefit even more than we already have. Be well, my friends.

He doesn't put his emotions on display for pity. It's real and so many of us can relate.

Iam sang "Monsters" for his audition on American Idol, and the video went viral, with more than 16 million views on just the AI website, more than any other contestant's song EVER. It was shared and viewed in many other platforms and touched the hearts of people of all different backgrounds and created fans all over the world. Because Iam went on the show to fulfill the wishes of his father (not to become a big star and make money), this song is for his father, as it was written for James Blunt's father. That's why this performance with James Blunt had such special meaning to him and all of his supporters. It became a full-circle moment.

You were right on in this commentary. Thank you. He won the people’s hearts and deserved to be American Idols.

One vocal coach said, he has a tenderness and gracefulness feel. It's also a spiritual experience that can't necessarily be described but only felt. I believe thats what the world is experiencing with his wonderful voice🤙!! Luv it!

the storyteller always wins your heart but especially when their voice is like butter. I actually didn't watch it, but listened, and still got teary eyed.

There is nothing wrong with breaking down in a song because that's raw emotion that helps to pull people into that experience and journey besides when folks break down it might slow down but not stop the performance. People enjoy real, that's what they want from the performer they come to see and the response is always beautiful! Iam Tongi and James Blunt were superb together regardless of the uniqueness of their voices being paired together. Blunt and Iam was so haunting, real and beautiful, they were soft too and the presentation was gut wrenching so while I could hear a few vocal missteps the passion and heart and everything that they brought overshadowed and it didn't in the long run matter!

Iam Tongi is the real deal He loves his Dad so much and when he passed away it took a toll on Iam Him and his Dad sang so many songs together This is how he cope with his Dad Iam Tongi won American Idol because he is the real deal He is going to go far He will continue to make sure he continues to spread his culture all over. Congratulations Iam Tongi

Thank you!! Iam Tongi is the best singer, artist, performer. Appreciate you!!

humanity is at its peak right now..Iam has gained so much admiration not only because of the quality of his voice but also his humanity and humility

Watch his other performances on AI - Iam shows love and pride for this culture ! He is real ! ❤ YESSAH !! 🤙🏾 proud of you Iam repping your fathers memory, family, Hawaii and your people !! ❤️🤙🏾

Much Love .&. Aloha for showing your support for, Iam! Much Respect!!

WOW. thanks for speaking of the performance so eloquently. Yes, J blunt deserves huge praise for this one in a lifetime moment captured so beautifully. Again, as once stated, it isn't only the pitch perfect vocal but honest, humble powerful connection.And lets not forget James is the author of this remarkable tribute. Iam afterward commented how great he was & why he fell in love with his song.Thank you as well for NOT critiquing. No words needed/necessary. Truly a powerhouse of a moment. I thank you profoundly. Surfs up!!!🏄💖🌴🥇

Actually Iam Tongi was/is the best vocalist. He has been the best vocalist from his auditions & his song selections from pop, RnB, soul, Reggae, he did Country this finale so react to that too bc he killedt all of it. Go back and watch all his performances from A to Z and not pick and choose which one to react to. I like that you recognised that James was struggling too as he was even trembling but he was the Dad and did push him through the performance.

Yes that's right he won people's heart regardless of not the greatest performer, he has great singing connection with the audience. He's the real deal!

Iam’s vulnerability is priceless and beautiful ...he’s taken America Idol to another level and he deserved to have won it...priceless

Can you imagine this young man's emotions. He's singing next to the man he admired his song and voice. Don't forget Blount's version of this song, he's screaming this song. Again remember there's videos of Iam singing this song when he was younger but Again he's 18 years old and singing with his mentor. We're missing the PAIN..... BLOUNT sang it when HIS DAD was dying and IAM sang it when his dad died. Passion brings a song to LIFE.

I do believe the smartest people will say "Iam Tongi" isn't even winner, because he is the reason all of us listen to music, for example nowadays there are so many type of music. Think about it, Think about people who try so hard to generate the fake music or even scam and pay for someone to listen to it but nobody do it, have you imagine ? So i'm 100% sure that people like "Iam Tongi" is pretty "RARE" , it's really really hard to find yeah it's hard to find people like him nowadays.

Well said .. some things do not require an analysis.

Yes tell this man.. the people vote count.. end of the story.. we connect with our Iam👌

Raw emotions are showing here.

James Blunts father almost passed away a couple years ago. He had to get an organ transplant and they could not find a match. He actually was saying goodbye to his father. You should watch James Blunts video singing to his father.

Mahalo for keeping this version of your critique show real for all of us and expressing how “special this moment is for all of humanity”. Iam brings out the human side of us and touches us with his sweet storytelling voice. Mahalo again.

Iam is only 18 years old. He recently lost his dad, the person that encouraged him to get into music, and who sang along with him many, many times. James wrote this song for his own father who was dying from kidney disease, and a relative heard the song and donated a kidney to James' dad. Thus, a life saved. Trying to sing while crying is close to impossible. I can't think of another song that is as emotional as Monsters. James changed the wording to help Iam....the line "you can feel my hand on your ARM" is actually supposed to be "you can feel my hand on your own." There is so much to love in this duet. James tries to be a rock, and Iam is heartbroken. Glad that YOU learned to overcome your emotions when you sing. Iam is 18, a teenager, for gosh sakes. He's perfectly imperfect. BTW, you have mentioned Iam's weight in a passing way in several videos...it must really bother you. That's not what you should be critiquing, in my opinion.

He definitely had the strongest emotional connection from anyone I've seen on the show. I didn't know the song till I heard him, and with Huge respect to blunt for writing it, it's an amazing song, but to me at least, belongs to Iam.

Merci à vous et malgré tout ils ont chanter jusqu'à la fin est c était émouvant de voir Iam pleuré comme un enfant et James blunt à bien compris cela , bravo à ts les deux et c est une chanson magnifique ❤👏.

Soo heartfelt ♥ Great performance, beautiful ❤ Aloha n Mahalo from Maui Hi❤

IAM IS ONLY 18 YRS OLD, HE LOVED HIS DADDY AND ADMIRED HIM IN SO MANY WAYS THIS YOUNG BEAUTIFUL SOUL IS SELF TAUGHT, I CAN GARENTEE HE COULDN'T BELIEVE HE CAME THIS FAR,BUT HIS BEAUTIFUL HEART SOUL IS BURSTING BEYOUND ALL BOUNDARIES!!❤❤❤❤❤❤

Iam is stil a kiddo. Its easy to forget. When his American Idol journey began and shortly before Iam lost his dad, he was still in high school.

The fact James blunt put his hand on Iam’s arm when that lyric starts is def something and makes it even more special

Iam Tongi ❤

Thanks for your true opinion on Iam's performance. You're right on carrying on with the song because it is hard singing a song that reminds you of someone special and one that believed in Iam, his father. You're right again on the people he's around with, that will steer Iam in the right direction and for Iam have his freedom to do what he wants, then signing a contract and being that persons slave. Mahalo a me Alo Ha..

I havnt seen you react to his audition. I have loved Iam since i saw his audition when it had only 10000 views. So I am attached to this boy with my whole heart. I respect your opinion he may not be the most technical singer. But he has ❤ I never watched Nutsa till I found your page. Her technical abilitiy was out of this world. But no matter her fancy voice. I couldnt connect with her. Iam deserves the win ❤❤❤

I cry so mutch❤😢 puhhhhh

Thank you KariSma for your feedback on Iam and James Blunt performance. It was a very emotional one and unforgettable experiences to all humanity. Thanks again Iam Tongi and James Blunt. God bless you both.

Its sounds to me , you don’t like Iam Tongi at all . Because ever since you’re finding fault with him so much you’ve mentioned the song monster is James Blunk song. I feel a lot connected to every song he sings. You must have one person like yourselves to find faults with him

Thank you sir. You now understand the feeling associated with Iam. Its almost a spiritual or humanitarian deep connection. That's why he won and the Iam effect is real.

Praise the Lord

Have you watched his American Idol audition.......😢❤

Thank you for not giving a critique because that would have been really bad. What Iam gives us is raw emotion and heart and he shouldn’t be judged on an arbitrary scale of correctness. Everything Iam does is authentic and he moves us, and how many performers can say that?

He kinda reminds me of Ruben Studdard from back in the early days of American Idol he can sing fer dayzzz

Your reactions is the best of all!

Like the bradduh sing “‘Pakalolo sweet “.

Iam could have picked any song, but he only had his dad on his mind...hes singing with emotions

Hope you can get to hear a Tongan male choir sing Accepella. I don't know what they are saying, but I've felt their Spirit .

❤❤❤❤Thankyou So very very much for your expertise reaction with compassion and kindness❤❤❤

Yessah❤️😢👍🤙

Iam and his dad used to sing at the church and there's a video on it. I just found out myself. Love always. Ontario, Canada

Very kind of u of wishes for Iam!

I don’t understand why ppl have their undies in a bunch , emotion is what the JUDGES WANTED! It’s what makes a true story teller!

I can AMEN to what you said in your reaction. Worship leaders connect to our God and I do believe Iam Tongi too.❤😊

Thank you for your reactions❤

Waiting for Nutsa & Kylie duet reaction

Us Polynesians are big people. You’ll have to get used to it.

yessss it was so real sir 👍

Yo Jim that moment was win or 3nd place.. it was just all about how he really felt singing with his idol to.. he is very young and slot of people in this game will help him on with the pitching I don’t know but what u are saying.. Ismmis one of a kind.. thanks

Loved it.

❤❤❤beautiful ❤❤❤

Some of these comments are people who cant think past what his words are saying and getting triggered bc he used the word "big". This performance wasnt a performance to be critiqued bc it belongs to a category of its own that if youre wise, you cant assess, but just identify the aspect of it that spoke to the human experience we all can relate to, grief/sadness/mourning/circle of life/father-son relationship etc.

😢😢😢😢😢❤❤❤❤

😢❤

💗💗🤙🏼🤙🏼

I always like watching your honest reactions

This old man you do not know nothing Iam won finished

Another vlogger made an interesting comment. What happened to Lionel Richie while Iam and James were singing the duet? There were cameo shots of Luke Bryan and Katy Perry, but Lionel was noticeably missing.

This ol guy has cut iam down every performance, it's evident he doesn't like Iam, that's sad, he should just keep some sideways comments to himself. Iam was on a full circle moment with the Blunt song to weep...we have seen several professional singers cry and connected to their songs, like Kelly Clarkson, Adele...um but do you like them? Just sayin what some of us think also, have a blessed day

❤❤❤💖👍👍

I see you smiling

Shot up

You just making people laugh at you. I no deep now you yourself love all Iams performances

we really enjoy listening to you and your comments, and accordingly, the lack thereof ....

Spot on review and comment

I love this review, and I love Iam Tongi, James Blunt, and this song. I wish you’d do a critique of James Blunt singing this song, the version “Acoustic Live at the Pool” where he’s playing piano and singing. I enjoy your critiques very much, and would love to hear your response to his unique style.

You are definately right

No you did not predict that you were wrong all along

why don't you have a reaction to his audition? you have a reaction to literally everyone else but him it's weird lmao

Blah blah blah Yesssa Go IAM …

You do it every time. Stop it. Just stop it.

He doesn't have to used the stage.

Iam he's a good singer the way he sing he put he's hearts and his soul and you Iam he's not a good singer you little pit to hushed to Iam

He’s ok as a singer, not my favorite. But he won, good luck. Monsters is a great song who ever sings it.

Distracted by the wrong piano note right off the bat in this piece. However, I definitily liked James Blunt singing. Now regarding Iam Tongi first singing, I knew the producers wanted him to win this contest. So predictable. Meh.....with vocals of Iam.

Bravo... spot on insight. He is a kid in pain...