'American Idol' Winner Iam Tongi Covers Morgan Wallen Hit

Iam Tongi has been exploding on the music scene since winning Season 21 of American Idol. He has a brand new tour that he is setting out on in 2024, as well as a brand new Morgan Wallen acoustic cover song that he puts his own soulful spin on.

The recording of Wallen's "Sand in My Boots" took place in Nashville, and Tongi explains why he chose to cover Wallen's 2021 hit.

"I have immense respect for Morgan Wallen, and 'Sand in My Boots' is a song that truly touches my heart," the Idol star says. "The raw emotion in the lyrics and the soulful melody resonate with me on a profound level."

The video starts out very surreal and calm — Tongi is playing a guitar and has someone playing a steel guitar to accompany. He looks as if he is in a deep mode of relaxation as he gets ready to belt out the lyrics to the No. 1 country hit.

As the song progresses, so does Tongi's comfort. By the final chorus, you can hear the Hawaiian native hitting notes that come from the heart, filling the beautifully-lit room with an angelic sound that captures the essence of the familiar song in a brand new light.

Tongi promises to be releasing more acoustic cover songs like this in the near future, as his stardom continues to get larger with more than 23 million global streams. He just finished up a successful tour run in New Zealand and Australia, and he is headed back to the States to start a new tour, beginning Oct. 25 in New York City.

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 120 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, Morgan Wallen, + more!

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