“American Idol” champion Iam Tongi issued an apology after inadvertently keeping his hat on while singing the national anthem.
Tongi took the field for this special moment on Monday during the 2023 MLB Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The talented musician emerged victorious on the 21st season of “American Idol” in May.
In the description of a YouTube video, Tongi wrote, “This was my first attempt at singing the National Anthem. I was incredibly nervous performing in front of such a large crowd. My apologies for being so nervous and forgetting to remove my hat.”
Tongi also addressed the incident on Twitter, stating, “There were tens of thousands of people. My uncle reminded me to take off my hat before I started singing. I remembered momentarily, but the nerves got to me and I didn’t remember until it was already over. I will strive to do better next time.”
Despite the mishap, fans expressed their support for Tongi in the comments.
“I have so much respect for your response,” one user wrote. “What’s more important is that you delivered an amazing rendition of the song. Fantastic job! Congratulations on your accomplishments. You truly deserve it all. Keep up the good work, brother.”
“You were clearly nervous,” they added. “But you did an awesome job. We love it.”
Another supporter noted, “Your rendition was inspiring and beautiful. If you are worried about this in the future, just have somebody grab the hat and adjust your outfit. Keep your head held high!”
“That’s okay,” assured another user. “Nerves can affect anyone, and the fact that you remembered the words is what matters most!”
In the “American Idol” finals, Tongi competed against Megan Danielle and Colin Stough.
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