Iam Tongi Makes History With the Most Viewed American Idol Audition Ever

American Idol Season 21 may not be as exciting as the reality competition's early seasons, but fans are still tuning in because one contestant has made it worth watching. Hawaii's Iam Tongi made waves during his audition and has become one of the show's most popular singers in recent years, surprising viewers with his heartfelt acoustic guitar songs.

And it looks like Iam's journey to the finale was a sure thing the moment his audition was uploaded to American Idol's YouTube channel. To date, his video is by far the most viewed American Idol audition ever, with more than 15 million views in total.

'When you see something so pure, you realize the studio doesn't need any fancy editing. Dried my eyes from crying so much,' one fan wrote about his performance.

In addition, Iam is the star of four of the Top 10 most popular videos on the show's official YouTube page, as videos of him singing with Oliver Steele and solo have each garnered more than three million views.

The second most popular video on American Idol's YouTube page is Catie Turner's audition from five years ago. That clip has garnered 6.2 million views, which is significantly less than Iam's audition has gotten in just two months.

Harper Grace's audition from five years ago came in fifth with 3.8 million views. Even if you add Grace's and Tuner's views together, Iam still surpasses them, making him arguably the most popular American Idol contestant ever.

Fans agree that Iam has totally earned that fame, and his performances continue to draw millions of viewers to their screens. He also managed to outlast all of his major competitors, as Wé Ani, Zachariah Smith, and Haven Madison were all eliminated on their way to the Top 3.

Iam made it to the finale alongside Megan Danielle and Colin Stough, and it looks like none of them will be able to stop him from becoming the next American Idol. While all the singers' voices are beautiful, Iam definitely has this extra something that makes him stand out from the rest.

Now the only question is, can Iam's final performance surpass his audition in terms of viewership?

American Idol Season 21 Episode 20 will arrive on ABC on May 21, 2023.