American Idol Fans Forgive Iam Tongi’s Disrespect

 Season 21 of American Idol saw William, a.k.a Iam Tongi crowned as the winner of the talent show. However, his win seemed very controversial, and a lot of people felt that others deserved the win more.

So, when he disrespected the American flag recently, he took some heat. Nonetheless, when he explained why, many fans forgave him. 

American Idol: Iam Tongi Was Vindicated Twice?

During the last season of American Idol, judge Katy Perry expressed her belief that Colin Stough would emerge victorious. This was particularly true after he performed “Dancing On My Own,” which fans loved.

As time passed, Katy seemed to favor Iam Tongi, a contestant of Pacific Islander descent who became the first in the show’s history to reach the finale.

Despite criticism of Iam, Billboard results indicated that he was the most popular option for the win. American Idol fans rushed to listen to his music. Catchy and fun, it seemed that everyone went crazy for Polynesian music.

Naturally, he was proud, and his people were thrilled with the win. Across the world, many people started to listen to his voice. While he might have been vindicated very fast, he’s human and he made a stake that got folks claiming he disrespected the American flag. But it seems he’s been vindicated again. 

American Idol: Did Iam Tongi Disrespect The Flag

The Sun reported that Iam Tongi was accused of disrespecting the Star and Stripes at the “MLB Home Run Derby.” Chosen to sing the national anthem, he turned up in “a Hawaiian shirt and a baseball hat.” Unfortunately, he didn’t remove his cap before he sang. So, some folks were furious. However, he addressed the issue on his social media and said how sorry he felt.  

Apparently, the American Idol winner was reminded to remove his hat before he sang. However, he felt terribly nervous in front of the massive crowd. Focused on his singing, he simply forgot.

On his YouTube, he said, “First try at singing the National Anthem. So nervous that it was in front of such a huge crowd. And apologize for being so nervous and forgot to take off the hat.” 

Fans Forgive The Singer

American Idol fans who saw his post on YouTube forgave hm for not removing his hat. Many commenters felt that it was an easy mistake to make. Plus, he’d sung the song beautifully without bells and whistles. @user-jp4nm8dg7y said, “I love…the respect of the quiet for this young man with the voice of an angel. Iam, you are forgiven for the hat. We all know you meant no disrespect. You did an outstanding job, even hit those high notes perfect. My favorite interpretation of the National Anthem.”

Meanwhile, others echoed the sentiment. @kawehionalani3957 opined. “Love how he sang it the way it [was] supposed to be. No vocal gymnastics, just pure heart and soul. ❤ Congratulations Iam .”

Do you think that forgiving Iam Tongi is the right thing to do? After all, he didn’t do it deliberately.  Shout out your thoughts in the comments below. 

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with the cast of the talent show right now. Come back here often for more American Idol spoilers, news, and updates.