Got Iam Tongi fever? Take a walk down memory lane with these Hawaii Idols from years past

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Iam Tongi has been making headlines with his exceptional performances on season 21 of American Idol — landing a sweet spot as a top three finalist.

However, Tongi is not the first from the state to make waves in this competition.

Jasmine Trias, who placed in the top three in season three of American Idol back in 2004, wowed audiences with her blend of Hawaiian and R&B influences.

Trias still performs and records music, splitting her time between Hawaii and Vegas.

Trias recently congratulated Tongi on his success on Instagram and sent her well-wishes, stating, “So proud of you, and rooting for you to go all the way!”

In honor of Trias’ accomplishments, Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona declared May 13 as “Jasmine Trias Day” in Hawaii.

Joining Trias in season 3 was Maui’s Camile Velasco, known as Eli Mac, who wowed judges with her reggae and hip-hop-influenced vocals, earning her a spot in the top 9.

Mac continues working as a singer and songwriter and has an upcoming performance in Kona on May 20.

Mac congratulated Tongi on Instagram, saying, “You’re a winner no matter what!”

Trias and Mac recently joined a group of local musicians in a musical mashup dedicated to Tongi.

Another famous face that graced the Idol stage and is featured in this mashup is Paula Fuga, a Na Hoku Hanohano award-winning singer-songwriter and Hawaii’s female vocalist of 2022.

Fuga auditioned for the show in 2004. Read more about Funga’s Idol journey here.

Then there is Lyric Medeiros — a second runner-up in the Miss Hawaii USA 2018 pageant and daughter of former pop star Glenn Medeiros — who secured a ticket to Hollywood along with Tongi in the current season of American Idol.

Although Medeiros didn’t advance to the top 26, she left an impression with a memorable singing lesson from the judges.

Undeterred, she remains committed to pursuing her passion for music.

Finally, the trailblazer who first put Hawaii on the American Idol map was Jordan Segundo, a top 32 semifinalist in season 2 of Idol.

While Segundo continues to sing and perform, he’s also found success as an anchor/reporter and weather anchor at CBS13 Sacramento & Good Day Sacramento in Northern California.

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