Tones and I facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tones and I
Tones and I performing, Southside Festival, June 2022
Background information
Birth name	Toni Watson
Also known as	Tones Tonah
Born	Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia
Origin	Frankston, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Pop indie pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards drum pads
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Bad Batch Sony Elektra
Associated acts	Konstantin Kersting

Toni Watson, known as Tones and I, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and music producer. She became famous for her song "Dance Monkey". This song reached number one in over 30 countries, including Australia. In 2019–2020, "Dance Monkey" stayed at number one on the Australian singles chart for 24 weeks. This broke the record held by Bing Crosby's "White Christmas".

Tones and I won many awards at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019. She released her first collection of songs, called an extended play (EP), The Kids Are Coming, on August 30, 2019. It was very popular in Australia and other countries. Her first full album, Welcome to the Madhouse, came out on July 16, 2021. It went straight to number one in Australia. In February 2024, she made history as the first female artist to get over 3 billion streams for one song, "Dance Monkey", on Spotify.

Discovering Tones and I's Music Journey

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Toni Watson grew up in Mount Martha, near Melbourne, Australia. She realized she could sing when she was about seven years old. She learned to play keyboards and drum pads in school. Before becoming famous, she worked in fashion retail and started busking (performing music in public places) in Melbourne.

In 2009, Toni Watson began sharing her singing online. She posted videos of herself singing songs without music on YouTube. She also performed at small local events. Later, she decided to focus on music full-time. She bought a special music device called a loop station. This helped her create music by herself. She traveled along the east coast of Australia, busking and building her fanbase.

In September 2017, she went to Byron Bay, New South Wales, to busk. There, she met Jackson Walkden-Brown, who became her manager. Busking helped her become more dedicated to her music. In 2018, she spent her time writing songs and busking. She even won a competition called Battle of the Buskers.

"Dance Monkey" and First EP Success

In February 2019, Tones and I signed with Bad Batch Records/Sony Music Australia. She also got a management deal. That same month, she released her first song, "Johnny Run Away", on Triple J's Unearthed website. This website helps new artists share their music. The song was recorded with producer Konstantin Kersting. It quickly became very popular online.

"Johnny Run Away" was played a lot on Triple J radio. It reached number 12 on the ARIA Singles Chart. It also sold over 210,000 copies, earning triple platinum status.

On May 10, 2019, Tones and I released her second song, "Dance Monkey". She wrote this song quickly, in about 30 minutes. It became a huge hit, reaching number one in more than 30 countries. These countries included Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

The music video for "Dance Monkey" was directed by Liam Kelly and Nick Kozakis. In November 2019, "Dance Monkey" broke a record in Australia. It stayed at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart for 16 weeks. This was longer than Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You". By January 2020, it had been number one for 24 weeks. It was also the first Australian song to reach number one on Spotify's global daily streaming chart.

Tones and I performing on keyboards in February 2020.

In May 2019, Tones and I performed at the Big Pineapple Music Festival. She also opened Splendour in the Grass 2019, a big music festival. She had the largest crowd for an opening act there. In July, she released her third song, "Never Seen the Rain". Her first EP, The Kids Are Coming, came out on August 30, 2019. In September 2019, she performed "Dance Monkey" and "The Kids Are Coming" at the 2019 AFL Grand Final. This event had an audience of 100,000 people.

In January 2020, three of her songs from the EP were listed in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2019. "Dance Monkey" was number 4, "Never Seen the Rain" was number 15, and "Johnny Run Away" was number 26.

She started her Kids Are Coming World Tour in February 2020. She performed in Australia and North America. Fans loved her energetic performances. She talked about how busking taught her to connect with audiences. The tour had many dates planned, but some were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2020, "Dance Monkey" reached 1 billion views on YouTube. It also won the Grand Prize at the International Songwriting Competition. Tones and I was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The magazine noted her unique path to global success from Australia.

First Album: Welcome to the Madhouse

Singing at Laneway Festival, Sydney, February 2020

In September 2020, Tones and I announced that her first album would be released soon. She wanted to make sure it was perfect. Her next song, "Fly Away", came out in November. It was performed live for the first time in Newcastle. This song did well globally, reaching number 4 in Australia and top 40 in several European countries.

At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, she was nominated for three awards. She also performed a tribute to Helen Reddy. In April 2021, she restarted her Australian tour. Her song, "Won't Sleep", was released on May 14.

Tones and I released her first album, Welcome to the Madhouse, on July 16, 2021. It included "Fly Away", "Won't Sleep", and "Cloudy Day". The album debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. It stayed in the top 50 for four weeks. In 2021, she was also named the top songwriter of 2020 by Blokur. She explained that she often starts writing songs with chords or a melody.

New Music and Performances

In January 2022, Tones and I shared that she was already working on her next album. She said it would be "very different." The first song from this album, "Eyes Don't Lie", was released in March. In May, she performed at the APRA Music Awards of 2022. She sang a powerful version of "Guided by Angels." She also worked with Macklemore on the song "Chant" in July. The next month, she released her solo song "Charlie", which is about her pet dogs.

Tones and I at Das Fest (2024)

Her second album is expected to have "cheerful and groovy music." At the 2022 ARIA Music Awards, Tones and I helped organize a tribute to Olivia Newton-John. She performed with other artists, singing Newton-John's famous songs. She also won Song of the Year for "Cloudy Day." Her song "I Made It" came out in February 2023. It was used in the movie True Spirit. On August 20, 2023, she performed at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup closing ceremony. She sang several of her songs, including "Dance Monkey."

On February 2, 2024, she released the song "Dreaming." Tones and I also supported Pink on her Australian tour from February to March 2024. She released another song, "I Get High," in March. In June 2024, she announced her second album, Beautifully Ordinary, would be released on August 2, 2024. She also planned a tour of Australia for August.

Discography

• Welcome to the Madhouse (2021)
• Beautifully Ordinary (2024)

Awards and Recognition

Tones and I has won many awards for her music. These awards celebrate her songwriting, singing, and overall success in the music industry.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) celebrate independent music in Australia.

APRA Music Awards

The APRA Music Awards recognize songwriting and music performance in Australia and New Zealand.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's main music awards, recognizing excellence in all music genres.

Australian Women in Music Awards

These awards celebrate amazing women in the Australian Music Industry.

International Songwriting Competition

This is a global contest for songwriters, judging creativity and originality.

J Awards

The J Awards are Australian music awards from the radio station Triple J.

MTV Europe Music Awards

These awards honor artists and music in pop culture.

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards celebrate music from the state of Victoria, Australia.

National Live Music Awards

These awards recognize Australia's live music industry.

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

These awards are given by the Australian Rolling Stone magazine for contributions to popular culture.

Spotify Awards

The Spotify Awards recognize artists based on their streaming success.

See also

In Spanish: Tones and I para niños