Iam Tongi's Twangy 'Making Memories Of Us' Performance on American Idol Finale - REACTION

[@flyingturtle4559]

Aloha Mike and Jess Thank you both for covering Iam's journey with so much heartfelt emotion. I wanted to post this on your channel in hopes that maybe you could pass on these sentiments to the folks at Mahalo Shoots. From the very start Lionel Ritchie has said that it is one thing to sing a song, but it is on another level to be able to deliver the Message. And throughout the season Lionel and Luke have praised Iam's ability to Tell the Story in his songs. Across Polynesia many of the Island cultures have a tradition of passing along their culture through chants and songs and there is a term of endearment for people blessed with this Storytelling ability and that is "Tusitala" (pronounced too see tah lah) storyteller. In fact it was a name bestowed upon and adopted by the famous writer Robert Lewis Stevenson. Iam is so much larger than life now, I think it would be great if they gave him the title of "Polynesia's Tusitala." Iam Tusitala Tongi..... has a nice ring to it....

[@jaderiley4360]

Wow!! I AM definitely has that gift to draw you in with his delivery as he sings!! I love him!! Thank you for sharing your video on him.

[@rodney9988]

it's always funny that Jess seems to know the songs and Mike never does, it's awesome to get both perspectives. You guys were the perfect accompaniment to Iam's Idol journey.

[@RNTV]

Together with this community, we are slowly pulling Mike out from under the musical rock he's been living under😂😂Thank you for your kind words friend 💜💚

[@Q_up]

I’m so glad IAM got to tell how special that song was to him and how it relates to his parents and a wonderful memory of his parents because many people need to realize our island is not just a melting pot of culture we love all genres of music. My parents loved their oldies but goodies. Lionel is a huge influence here on the islands any IAM showed that influence to the world singing an island version we’ve all grown up with of Lionel’s song. Yesssaaaahhhhh cheee hooo!!! Just some history before there were cowboys in the 1700’s we in Hawaii had paniolo Hawaiian cowboys so whenever you hear cheee hooo it stems from the calling “cheee cheeee” how our paniolo moved the heards.

[@TennesseeYaya]

Iam can sing anything!!! I’ve been saying he can sing country!! And he looks like a seasoned performer! Go Iam! We love you! Thank you guys for supporting Iam! I feel like we’re all family.

[@RNTV]

He really can sing anything! 💜💚

[@crystalblue4139]

Cheeeeehhhooooo from Central Florida! Mahalo for supporting our boy. Your reactions are the best, so positive and a joy to watch. 🤙🏼

[@RNTV]

Well hello there fellow Floridian! 🥰Thank you so much for your kindness! 💜💚

[@ellakaituu1044]

Thankyou Guys,thanks for supporting Iam,love your Channel ,love you both,youre amazing ❤

[@starrylaurie1119]

I heard an interview Iam gave where he says he loves country music. Thanks for your reaction videos. So much fun enjoying the performances with you! Feels like watching them with friends! 😁

[@carinalindberg7377]

I am so glad I got to hear Iam sing a country song! I could tell that he had the ability to bring out some twang, and with his story telling there was no doubt that he would rock it. If he had sung a country song earlier on in the show some of those country votes might have gone to him :D

[@lisan3024]

I can't wait for you guys to react to him and James Blunt. I can't believe it's over so happy for lam... I am going to miss American Idols reactions but I'm here to support you guys even though I was here for lam.

[@mikemailei4491]

love the reaction I'm a fan now. Iam won little did we know the world won with Iam. When Iam sang the banana pancakes with Jack Johnson I was like this kid took me back to my early 20's, he knows the classics he sings all genres this kids singing the classics is amazing. Also got my merch last week just came in same black shirt and a hat.

[@Motown8]

Thank you for entertaining us throughout the season with your reaction videos of Iam. Thank you. 🤙🏽🙏🏽

[@gatesurfer]

Actually, there is a fine tradition of country music in Hawaii, which stems from our paniolo (cowboy) culture. The story goes that the Hawaiian king received some cattle as a gift, but they soon got out of control and were trampling everything. So the Hawaiian king got some Mexican vaqueros to came over and teach the Hawaiians how to wrangle cattle. When they left, they left their guitars behind. That is how slack-key guitar got started, because the Hawaiians just started retuning the instrument to make it easier to play. There are dozens of tunings that slack-key guitarists use, each one with its own special characteristics, and you can make the same song sound very different depending on what tuning you use. The vaqueros also left behind a nascent "cowboy culture." So by the 1920s, there was a Hawaiian cowboy Ikua Purdy who competed on the mainland and won, and even now there are some Hawaii-born rodeo competitors on the national circuit. And along with that came the music. There's a woman Dita Holifield who is considered the Queen of Country Music in Hawaii, and there are some other country musicians as well. While Hawaii musicians might not have sung with the "twang" themselves, they certainly would be familiar with it. The best line in this song came early, "speaking the language in a voice that you never heard." Iam seemed to laugh a bit when he sang that line, kind of like he knew that none of us have heard a voice quite like his. And btw, Nicole Kidman was actually born in Hawaii, though of course she identifies as Australian.

[@island_music]

Hawai'i had cowboys before there were cowboys

[@pacboe]

Some interesting revelations there! Aloha from New Caledonia...

[@asinatefotu5436]

You guys did an amazing job love you guys reaction I know we all have IAM Tongi's Spirit just gives us joy and happiness great reaction thank you Loving Beautiful Couple for your reaction love n support to our ANGEL and God's Given Miracle Magical Wonderful SUPERSTAR ofa atu God blessed.

[@josephlopesi8043]

I can see your wife, knows the song very well Bro your wife is giving hint on the lyrics in your marriage Bless you both

[@joshuaeti2609]

Thank you Jake and Jess for supporting Iam you guys are beautiful and awesome ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@RNTV]

Thank you so much friend 💚💜

[@ivanabremond-gu5tn]

Il est adorable et chante merveilleusement bien ❤❤.

[@Imua2]

Mahalo for supporting Iam...❤

[@mahaloshoots]

Yesssahhhh Blesssahhhhh No Stresssahhhh!!! Mahalo for the shout out!!! Team Tongi!!!!

[@RNTV]

"Yesssahhhh Blesssahhhhh No Stresssahhhh!!!" Love this saying!!! Much aloha friend 💚💜

[@keithjuda3243]

Yessahhh blessahhh!!

[@fesuluaitiapula-dorris8143]

Y'all wait till you watch his second song! Do you have your dance shoes on? 😂 oh gosh he's so good! He can sing any song they give him! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@linuspena0816]

Thank you so much for what you do, much appreciated...MAHALO NUI LOA.....ALOHA from the Island

[@RNTV]

Our pleasure friend! 💜💚

[@cassiep5363]

Thank you again ♥️

[@jacobtanner2391]

Crack me up you both, mahalo for the reactions, always awesome and heartfelt. Maika'i 🤙💯, Ahui Hou, Malama Pono 🤙💯

[@RNTV]

Thank you for the kind words! Ofa atu friend! 💜💚

[@meganberry275]

Thanks!

[@keokipinao876]

I love your reactions.

[@RNTV]

Glad to hear it friend!

[@keahisalvador1186]

Gorgeous!

[@sydkaai8896]

He’s awesome as are you two…Yessah

[@RNTV]

Thank you friend! 💜💚

[@keithjuda3243]

Iam my family from hilo we love you

[@taimoala1245]

Love it y'all :) Yessar.

[@fesuluaitiapula-dorris8143]

Amazing of course!! 😅❤

[@island_music]

Fun fact - small world - Nicole Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawai'i

[@markhaufekai8172]

Yeeeeessaaaaaahhhhhh ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@keithjuda3243]

My family love iam we from marshallese

[@PolyPride29]

He is a country boy Hawaiian style..Kahuku that is.

[@RNTV]

Love it💜💚

[@keithjuda3243]

Yesssa blessa!!

[@rudir6826]

James and Iam duet reaction 🙂👍

[@BenSua]

❤❤❤❤

[@oshirokim]

Fun fact- Nicole Kidman was born in Honolulu,Hawai’i!

[@сергейсидоров-г3у]

DIANA ANKUDINOVA REACTION TO - Diana ANkudinova & Shine's Creed. Yodel

[@ellakaituu1044]

Thanks!

[@RNTV]

Thank you so very much friend! This means a lot to us!💚💜

[@elizabethtoki332]

Thanks!