Sunday night (May 21), fan-favorite Iam Tongi was named the winner of American Idol season 21. But before the golden-voiced Hawaiian got to bask in the limelight, former contestants had the opportunity to come out and perform one last song on the Idol stage.
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Wé Ani was eliminated from the show earlier in the season. The singer’s soulful voice got her pretty far in the competition, earning her a spot in the Top 5 singers from this year’s pack. Prior to the season’s finale, Ani was voted off the show in favor of finalists Tongi, Colin Stough, and Megan Danielle.
Nevertheless, Ani came back in force, performing the 2008 R&B staple “Bust Your Window” with the track’s original singer, Jazmin Sullivan.
Like she did time and time again during the season, Ani dug deep and sang from her soul alongside Sullivan. The New York-based artist went toe to toe with Sullivan, nailing the acrobatic runs of the song.
At the end of the performance, Ani earned standing ovations from both the crowd and the panel of celebrity judges – Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.
Check out the performance, below.
“Bust Your Windows” follows the string of soulful hits Ani took on during her tenure on the show. Past performances include Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way,” Adele’s “Skyfall” and Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style.”
But, in the end, it wasn’t enough to earn her the Idol crown. Tongi, who was predicted to become the winner from the start, performed Spawnbreezie’s “Don’t Let Go” for his victory lap. His family watched on, swaying back and forth to the reggae-influenced beat while Tongi gave yet another stunning performance on the Idol stage.
Earlier in the finale, Tongi performed an original single titled “I’ll Be Seeing You” in honor of his late father, who was also his biggest inspiration while on the show.
Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless
