American Idol Season 21 drew to a close last night (May 21, 2023). Three finalists battled it out for the $250,000 and a record deal with Hollywood Records/19 Recordings. Megan Danielle, Iam Tongi, and Colin Stough delivered their final performances. But who did enough, and who won American Idol 2023?
Who was the American Idol 2023 winner?
Iam Tongi won American Idol 2023, making him the winner of Season 21. Megan Danielle was the runner-up, with Colin Stough finishing in third place.
Iam’s original song, I’ll Be Seeing You, has been released as the official “winner’s single.” At the time of writing, it already sits at over 54,000 streams on Spotify. You can listen to it for yourself below:
At 18-years-old, Iam is one of the youngest winners of American Idol of all time. Jordin Sparks was younger when she won, however, taking home the crown when she was just 17. Scotty McCreery was also 17 when he won the competition.
Iam was mentored by Keith Urban ahead of the finale, along with the other finalists. In the grand finale, along with his winner’s single, he performed a cover of Don’t Let Go by Spawnbreezie. He also sang Making Memories of Us, by Keith, because it was one of his parent’s favorite tracks.
Another performance saw him sing Monsters with none other than James Blunt. He dedicated that song to his late father, and started crying. Judge Katy Perry could also be seen wiping away tears during his performance.
Iam’s mother recalled: “This is what Rodney [Iam’s father] dreamed about. He wanted everyone to hear what Iam said, and I feel like this is where he was meant to be.”
ABC has announced that American Idol will be returning for Season 22. Expect to watch it at some point in early 2024.
TELL US – WERE YOU HAPPY WITH THE AMERICAN IDOL RESULT? DID THE BEST PERSON WIN? HAVE YOU LISTENED TO THE WINNER’S SONG?
