RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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SALT LAKE CITY \u2014 This weekend, singer Iam Tongi brought his signature soulful sound to the Salt Palace.The "American Idol" winner headlined the Young Single Adult Conference hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Before taking the stage, Tongi spoke with KSL, sharing messages about faith, family and an exciting new chapter in his life.He said returning to Utah feels a little like coming home."Every time I come to Utah, I go straight to my cousins," he said. "We hang out until like 3 o'clock in the morning, jamming music, hanging out (and) playing cards."Since winning "American Idol" in 2023, the 21-year-old singer-songwriter has released a debut album and toured across the country. But when he reflects on the last few years, Tongi said some of his biggest growth hasn't just happened on stage."I feel like I've grown a lot spiritually," he said. "Trying to be more confident in my music, trying to do what I love, make music that I love."He's also preparing for one of the biggest milestones of his life."I'm getting married also," Tongi said. "Getting married in like two weeks." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tamara Vaifanua (@tamaravaifanua_ksl) The singer joked that wedding planning has come with one unexpected perk."I tell you what, it's a lot of writing fuel," he said with a laugh.He's also been getting plenty of marital advice. "From everybody," Tongi said. "A lot of the times, it's good advice. Sometimes I'm like, 'I'm not so sure about that.'"As he prepares to start a family of his own, Tongi continues to carry the memory of his father with him. His father died from kidney failure in 2021, a loss that continues to shape both his life and his music. That connection became the foundation for one of the most meaningful collaborations of his career.Tongi recently worked with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on the song "Your Dad," featured on Disney's Moana: Voices Across the Ocean album.Johnson approached Tongi about writing a song from a father's perspective, a challenge that pushed the young artist creatively."I had to use my imagination because I don't have kids," Tongi said. "I'm trying to think, what would he say?"What Johnson didn't know was that Tongi had already written a song called "My Dad," inspired by his own father. The original version was written from a son's
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