Iam Tongi And James Blunt Sing ‘Monsters’

Crying during an American Idol finale isn’t a rare thing. Whether it’s simply from the stress of the competition or due to the elation of winning it all, tears happen among the contestants.

But in 21 seasons of the talent show, the finale-night waterworks have never happened quite like they did during Sunday night’s episode.

That’s because long before finalist Iam Tongi was named the winner, the 18-year-old from Kahuku, Hawaii was joined on the Idol stage by singer-songwriter James Blunt for a performance so moving, it left the audience weeping, the celebrity judges barely able to contain their own tears and Tongi himself struggling to finish the number.

The song was “Monsters,” the 2019 father-son ballad Blunt penned during his dad’s battle with kidney disease. The British musician has referred to the song as “a eulogy” to his father, despite the fact he father survived the health scare.

But while Blunt came close to losing his father, the song cut extra deep for Tongi, who’s father died just months before he auditioned for American Idol.

In the auditions, “Monsters” was the song that started Tongi’s journey on the show, where it earned him tears from panelists Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Byan then, too, as well as a standing ovation and a unanimous vote to send him to Hollywood.

“I feel like you could have written this song,” Perry told Tongi after his first performance back then. “You sang it, you delivered it and you’re making these grown men cry. You hit a nerve. That’s what great storytellers do. That’s what great artists do. Your voice is just so magnificent.”

His introductory version of “Monsters” went viral early in the Idol season, making Tongi a favorite from the start.

And when he sang the heartbreaking lyrics alongside Blunt during the finale, just moments before his big win, it quickly became clear Tongi hit a nerve again.

“I’m not your son, you’re not my father / We’re just two grown men saying goodbye / No need to forgive, no need to forget / I know your mistakes and you know mine / And while you’re sleeping I’ll try to make you proud / So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes? / Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn / To chase the monsters away.”

Tongi openly wept during the beautiful ballad and had to skip some words along the way. When it was all over, there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen, for good reason.