Iam Tongi honored his late father, Rodney, with an emotional cover of Garth Brooks’ iconic hit, “The Dance.”

The season 21 winner of American Idol put his own twist on the Brooks’ tune. Joined by a pianist, Tongi strummed a guitar while belting out the lyrics to the country hit.

“And now I’m glad I didn’t know/ The way it all would end/ The way it all would go/ Our lives are better left to chance/ I could have missed the pain/ But I’d have had to miss the dance,” he sang on the tune’s chorus.

Listen To Iam Tongi’s Cover Of “The Dance” Below

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Why Did Iam Tongi Cover “The Dance”?

He chose to release his soul-stirring rendition of the country classic, as it holds a deep personal significance for Tongi.

“I chose to do a cover of ‘The Dance’ because my dad really wanted me to learn this song. He was a true country music fan, and so am I,” Tongi shared. “This song holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar, with my father by my side. We would harmonize together, creating beautiful memories through music that I treasure so much now that he has passed.”

He also reflected on the sentimental value of the song. “I remember posting a video of this song with my dad, and it means a lot to me because of the connection I have with it. It’s not just about the music; it’s about the shared moments, the harmonies, and the bond we formed while playing it together,” Tongi added.

“I’ll Be Seeing You” Tribute To His Dad

This isn’t the first time he paid tribute to his late father, who passed months before Tongi’s American Idol audition. Rodney died of kidney failure in December of 2021. He also remembered him with the release of his debut single, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

Solely penned by Season 18 Idol alum Francisco Martin, “I’ll Be Seeing You” serves as a tribute to a loved one who passed away. For Tongi, that person is his father, who died just months before he auditioned for American Idol.

The lyrics find the Hawaii native confessing that he’ll never forget “all your wits” and “all of the laughs.” While he admits he’s “lonely,” he has “no fear” because he finds comfort in the fact that he’ll see him again one day.

“’Cause I’ll be seeing you / Seeing you / Wherever I go / And I’ll be / Be with you / Be with you / Wherever I’ll go,” Tongi sings on the chorus. The tune, which released on Friday (May 19), was produced by Oak for the Orphanage, Feenom & Roland Kiss.

Honored His Dad On American Idol

The fast-rising star also auditioned for Idol with James Blunt’s 2019 hit “Monsters,” a tune Blunt wrote as a tribute to his father, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Kidney Disease.

His performance brought Bryan to tears and Richie told him, “Young man, you take this into the world, and you’re going to fracture some souls. Your dad is very proud.”

“This one’s for Rodney,” Perry exclaimed at the time, honoring Tongi’s late father.

Tongi credits his late father for teaching him everything he knows about music.

“All my life, my dad told that singing is the only thing that was meant for me,” Tongi explained after receiving his golden ticket at the time of his Idol audition. “So, the main reason I did music was for my dad. That’s how me and my dad bonded, but ever since he passed away, it’s been hard. This one’s for Rodney… yeah, for my dad. You would think I would cry because I miss him, but it’s because I can hear his singing… Like I can hear his harmony and I can hear how he would harmonize with me on that song. [My dad] always wanted me to come on American Idol to sing, so I’m gonna try to make him proud. I know he’s with me through my music, he’ll always be with me. I love you, Dad!”