Samoa Diaspora News

2025 April

USA

American Idol 2025 has 2 Samoan contestants in the top 24

Isaiah Misailegalu

Isaiah's smooth style wins over the Judges, who called

him 'Samoan Silk': American Idol producer found 17-year-old Las Vegas contestant by chance at Town Square

Posted 2:08 PM, Mar 31, 2025 By: Justin Hinton

Isaiah Misailegalu joined me in studio with show casting producer Kyle Khou to talk about his journey to the show and what to expect as the season enters Hollywood Week.

Don't miss out on this season of American Idol with Las Vegas being represented yet again! This time with 17-year-old Isaiah Misailegalu, who we watched get his golden ticket to Hollywood a couple of weeks ago. I spoke with him and casting producer Kyle Khou about what to expect during Monday night's show.

Justin: Carrie Underwood called you Samoan Silk. That is now your Instagram handle. Talk to me about that moment.

Isaiah: That was iconic, I mean for someone to say how you got your name and say Carrie Underwood — the Carrie Underwood gave you that name — it's like no one can beat that. So and I love telling a story to people and I'm super thankful to Ms. Carrie Underwood.

Justin: Kyle, for you, I mean you've been casting on this show for the last several seasons. What was it about Isaiah that you said, "Hey, this guy's got a shot to to make on the show?"

Kyle Khou: The authenticity. It's just so easy for him, and there's no — like Carrie [Underwood] said — there's no way you just started doing this publicly, and I think that either [you] got it or you don't, and he's got it. And then he's so humble, his family is so great, his surroundings great, and I think that that is what's gonna make America connect with him, and that was another reason I thought, "Hey, this kid could go all the way."

Justin: How did you find him?

Kyle: I was eating dinner and I heard him singing. There was a voice in the wind. I was at Town Square. I was at Yard House on the patio and I heard this voice, and I left my food and I ran around Town Square so I could figure out where it was coming from and I saw this guy singing. And I invited him to audition for the executive producers. We got on a Zoom the next week and then next thing you know, he's auditioning for the judges.

Justin: What does having the support of Las Vegas on this journey mean for you?

Isaiah: Having Vegas here behind me, it pushes me, it makes everything so much easier. It's like it means the world to me. Vegas is so supportive. Everybody, all the students and everything there, this is amazing and just to have "the village behind me" as I say, it's amazing. It helps me so much having Kyle here with me, he's been helping me with song choice and anything, any type of questions I have, I know I can shoot it to Kyle. He's been a big help as well as all of Las Vegas,

Justin: Really in your heart and on your chest. I see the shirt — Squad Foundation. Tell me a little bit about that.

Isaiah: Oh man, Squad is where it all started for my music career. Thanks to my uncle, Cap, he heard me singing in his car. As I sing in my parents' car, he heard me singing and, he didn't think that he knew I could do something with my voice, and he introduced me to the right people, including Officer Grant with the LVMPD. And he's the reason why I was singing at that community event, and he's also the reason why I met Kyle here, and it's just so many great people throughout this this whole valley. And they've led me to where I am today, so nothing would have been possible without them. None of this at all would have been possible without them.

Isaiah Misailegalu again showed he's got talent — and stage presence — beyond his 17 years when he adeptly navigated the vocal gymnastics required for Teddy Swims' "Lose Control."

As the high schooler delivered the first chorus, he held back a bit from full-on belting out, teasing us with the promise of more. When he circled back for a second go at the chorus, he mixed things up by delivering a falsetto. Both stylistic choices paid off.

"You have such a gift, and you're so confident on the stage," Underwood told him. "I love you." Carrie further said he was too relaxed to be new at this, so she jokingly said "Well done you liar." At which everyone started laughing.

 

Kyana Fanene

Kyana meets her Samoan family for the first time

As the Top 24 contestants from this season of “American Idol” challenge themselves to connect with viewers across the country, “Idol” hopeful Kyana Fanene is connecting with another group of people: her family in Hawaii.

Monday night’s episode of the singing competition was “extremely emotional” for Fanene, who met members of her family for the first time while “Idol” filmed at Aulani, a Disney resort and spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii.

Following Sunday night’s episode, which showed 12 of the remaining contestants competing for votes from “Idol” fans, Monday’s episode shared performances from the other 12 contenders, including Fanene. The California background singer, who is of Polynesian descent, said that “being able to come back to the motherland and merge all parts of me is pretty insane.”

During the episode, Fanene elaborated on her relationship with her Polynesian heritage.

“My father, who is Polynesian, kind of walked out of my life, and the hurt from that made me drift away from my Polynesian side,” she explained. “It wasn’t until about two years ago where I started to connect with my Polynesian side again.”

During Monday’s episode, she took that connection to a new level when she embraced her Hawaiian family members for the first time. When it was her turn to compete, Fanene performed a Māori version of the Stan Walker song “I AM.”

“Reconnecting with my roots and then being on this island, I realized I was missing a whole part of me that I didn’t understand,” she said.

“Idol” viewers will decide if Fanene advances to this season’s Top 20 contestants. Voting via text, the “American Idol” website, and the “American Idol” app will remain open until 6 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, April 15.