"He really deserves this": American Idol fans can't keep calm after William Tongi is crowned the winner of season 21

Popular reality competition series American Idol season 21 aired a brand new episode on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 8 pm ET on ABC. It documented the top 3 finalists performing and competing against each other for one last time. They put their best foot forward to earn the coveted title and the grand cash prize of $250,000.

By the end of the American Idol episode, William Tongi took home the win. He beat fellow competitor Megan Danielle. Not only did he receive the title, he also earned the cash prize and will have several recording deals coming in the future.

Fans were elated with the majority of the votes given to William and took to social media to celebrate his win on the show. One tweeted:

The hit ABC series has seen a lot of popularity over the past two decades and has gone on to become a legendary franchise. Many contestants have made their mark in the music industry by debuting on the show, earning a lot of success and fans worldwide.

Season 21 of the competition saw the contestants deliver their skills in front of the iconic judge trio - pop princess Katy Perry, Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie, and country superstar Luke Bryan.

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Fans celebrate William Tongi's win on American Idol season 21

William Tongi was declared the winner of season 21. He was applauded by judges and fellow competitors, who joined him on stage to celebrate. Megan Danielle was crowned the runner-up.

Fans were extremely happy and took to social media to celebrate the win. Check it out.

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American Idol season 21 finale saw a lot of glitz and glamor

Tonight's episode of American Idol saw the top 3 contestants - Megan Danielle, William Tongi, and Colin Stough deliver iconic performances for one last time on stage before one of them was crowned the winner. The evening saw them grace the stage with multiple renditions that impressed the audience.

The official synopsis of the episode, titled Season Finale, reads:

"The live coast-to-coast, three-hour season finale features special performances from music legends and today’s top artists, with the Top 3 contestants taking the stage for the final time as America decides who will become the next American Idol."

To help them nail their performances, American Idol invited former judge Keith Urban as the guest mentor. He was a judge from season 12 to 15, when the competition series aired on Fox. He helped the top 3 finalists with song selection, vocals, and stage presence, among many other aspects.

The finale episode saw the Top 12 contestants - Wé Ani, Warren Peay, Haven Madison, Tyson Venegas, Marybeth Byrd, Oliver Steele, Zachariah Smith, Lucy Love, and Nutsa - returning to the stage and perform. Renowned artists, including Pitbull, Elle Goulding, Kevin Cronin, and many others were part of the star-studded line-up of guest performers.

Check out what the top 3 American Idol contestants performed tonight.

1. Megan Danielle - God Whispered Your Name by Keith Urban, Faithfully by Journey
2. William Tongi - Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban, Cool Down by Kolohe Kai
3. Colin Stough - Stupid Boy by Keith Urban, Either Way by Chris Stapleton

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Season 21 of the series has been an extremely successful franchise. The contestants came from different parts of the country to deliver their talent and keep moving forward in the competition. The series has been renewed for a new installment and viewers will have to wait for more details to come.

American Idol aired every Sunday at 8 pm ET on ABC.