“American Idol” winner Iam Tongi releases new single

Iam Tongi, the winner of “American Idol” in Season 21, grew up in Kahuku before being priced out of paradise and moving to Seattle, Washington. On Thursday, June 5, he released a cover of the song “Unbreak My Heart,” inspired by his relationship with his father.

“The first time I heard ‘Unbreak My Heart,’ I remember sitting there and thinking: ʻThat's exactly how I felt when my dad passed away,’” Tongi shared on Instagram. “The song is so true to me, and it means so much to me. I wanted people out there — that's gone through the same thing as me and lost a loved one and lost a parent — [to know] that they're not alone.ʻ"

The song drops a few weeks ahead of Father’s Day, which is Sunday, June 15.  

“I feel like the lyric that I connect to the most is: ʻI remember when that call came in telling me you're gone,’ ” he said. “And then the next line where it says: ʻI remember trying to pretend you'll be there when I got home.’ ”

The lyrics, he said, made him tear up.

“I guess, someone that's going through what I've been through with losing my father —something similar, like losing a loved one — I would say: ʻJust take it day or day,’” he said. “After losing my father it made me realize how important time is with my family, with my loved ones, and I'll just say, don't take for granted the time that you have, and make sure you go and spend time with your family.”

Listen.