Tonga Tourism has reached out to American Idol winner Iam Tongi to return to his whakapapa in the Friendly Islands to a festival that has not run for three years because of Covid.
Tonga is under the frenzy of Tongi magic - Tongi, 18, won the US singing competition on Monday.
The Heilala Festival 2023 including the popular Miss Heilala Pageant returns to Nuku’alofa from June 26 to July 7, after a three-years hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
An appearance from Idol winner Tongi would ignite the island nation with scenes reminiscent of fans of Mate Ma Tonga - the country’s rugby league team and the waving of the red Tonga flags.
Last night the Tongan Tourism staff were quick to send an invite to Tongi via Facebook.
Yessaaahhh!”
“#AmericanIdol2023 #12 #IamTongi #Heilala2023″
Hundreds took to the Tonga Tourism post to show their support and thousands of Tongans globally took to social media to celebrate Tongi’s victory - the first Pacific Islander to win this massive singing competition.
On his Facebook page, Iam Tongi said: “I am a musician of Tongan/Samoan/Irish decent but born and raised in the North Shore of Oahu Hawaii in Kahuku. I bleed red always.” referring to the Red of Tonga.