Originally hailing from Oahu, American Idol star Iam Tongi infused every performance with his Hawaiian heritage and spirit. Once all the votes were tallied, Tongi was the season 21 winner. He made history as the show’s first-ever Pacific Islander champion. Two years later, the now 21-year-old recently wrapped up a fall headlining tour. And today, as living rooms everywhere fill with families and Christmas cheer, Tongi once again represented his home state. He gave a spirited performance of “The Christmas Song” during Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.
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Performing all the way from Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Kapolei, Hawaii, Iam Tongi belted his rendition of “The Christmas Song,” popularized in 1946 by the Nat King Cole Trio.
Ignoring the objections of his label, Capitol Records, Cole recorded a second version, this time adding a small string section. That rendition became a major hit on both the pop and R&B charts.
Hosted by Ginnifer Goodwin and Alfonso Ribeiro, the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade returned to ABC for its 30th straight year. An annual tradition since 1983 (previously airing on CBS), this year’s jaunt down Main Street, U.S.A. features performances from Gwen Stefani, Lady A, and Bebe Rexha.
[RELATED: Where Are They Now? American Idol Winner Iam Tongi]
Iam Tongi Just Recorded This Christmas Classic
Iam Tongi has had a busy 2025 holiday season. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of both two longtime Yuletide staples—King’s Hawaiian’s sweet rolls and Bing Crosby’s 1950 hit “Mele Kalikimaka—the American Idol champ teamed up with Crosby’s estate to put his own spin on the time-tested holiday classic.
Tongi called the experience “surreal,” recalling, “Growing up in Hawaii with my big family, we used to go door-to-door at Christmas, singing ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ and other Christmas carols. I can’t believe there’s going to be a whole generation of people hearing my voice on it.”
Written in 1949 by composer Robert Alexander Anderson, “Mele Kalikimaka” takes its title from the Hawaiian transliteration of “Merry Christmas.” Anderson came up with the idea for the song while working for Vonn Hamm-Young, formerly one of Hawaii’s largest corporations.
“Well, I tell you, a stenographer in our office—this is just before Christmas and we were all leaving, 5:00—and she was next to me, and she said, ‘Mr. Anderson, how come there’s no Hawaiian Christmas songs?’” Anderson once recalled in an interview. “She said, ‘They take all the hymns and they put Hawaiian words to the hymns, but there’s no original melody. That spurred me right away. I thought, ‘What a good idea!’ I thought this over, and over a period of a few days, this came into my head, put it down on paper, and I’ve been singing it ever since.”
Featured image by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
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