American Idol contestant Iam Tongi gave a major performance of Alanis Morissette‘s song “Guardians” on the Sunday (May 7) episode, and it propelled him into the competition’s top five.
Tongi’s performance of the 2012 track was kept rather stripped, and featured him playing the guitar with the help of background instrumentalists to further flesh out his intimate and emotional rendition of the song.
“So why, why would you talk to me at all/ Such words were dishonorable and in vain/ Their promise as solid as a fog/ And where was your watchman then/ I’ll be your keeper for life as your guardian/ I’ll be your warrior of care your first warden/ I’ll be your angel on call, I’ll be on demand/The greatest honor of all, as your guardian,” Tongi sang. He concluded his performance with a sweet “Love you, Mom.”
“Guardian” was originally released by Morissette in 2012 as the first single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights. The track peaked at No. 27 on Billboard‘s Adult Pop Airplay chart, while the album spent peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and spent a total of five weeks on the tally.
Tongi also delivered a stunning duet of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” with Oliver Steele, who was later eliminated. Both tracks served as a subtle tribute to Sheeran and Morissette, who served as guest judges on the show while regular panel members Katy Perry and Lionel Richie were performing at King Charles III’s coronation concert.
Watch Tongi perform “Guardian” and “Photograph” in the videos below.
