The 2023 winner of American Idol, 18-year-old Iam Tongi, has visited Aotearoa for the first time.
Tongi is of Tongan and Samoan descent, but grew up in Kahuku in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was the first person of Pacific Island descent to win American Idol.
The teen became a fast favourite after delivering a heartfelt rendition of Monsters by James Blunt in honour of his father, who died several months before his audition.
Tongi performed the single in an emotional duet with Blunt which had the judges – Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie – in tears at the show's finale.
The star caught up with Breakfast last week, five months on from his historic win.
Asked how it feels to be in New Zealand, Tongi said if you set your mind to something, you can do anything.
"It's funny because growing up I heard a lot of people say that, and you think 'oh it's just something famous people say' but it's the truth."
He performed in Hamilton on Friday night and in Auckland on Saturday night for the Eden Festival.
On Saturday Tongi performed alongside the likes of Six60 and Katchafire.
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