In 2019, she broke the Australian record for the most weeks at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart by any artist with 16 weeks. By mid-January 2020, "Dance Monkey" had spent its 24th and final week at number one, beating Bing Crosby's all-time Australian record for his version of "White Christmas", which spent 22 weeks at the top in 1943.
"Dance Monkey" was accredited 16× platinum by ARIA for shipments of over 1,120,000 units, by mid-2021. Tones was the most awarded artist at the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, winning four of eight nominations. Tones and I released her debut extended play, The Kids Are Coming, on 30 August 2019, which peaked at number three in Australia, and top 10 in several countries. Her debut album, Welcome to the Madhouse, was released via Bad Batch on 16 July 2021. It debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album's lead single "Fly Away" peaked at number four in Australia and number 11 in the UK.
Toni Watson grew up in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula to the south of Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria. Conflicting reports state she was born either in 1993 or in 2000. The artist prefers not to disclose her birth details, "I never denied my age. I never lied about it. I just don't say anything now... Everything is wrong online."
She explained choosing a music career: "One day I was at the park with my family, all my cousins and stuff, in Frankston... We were all just singing a song and my aunty was like 'oh guys, she can actually hold a note.' I think that's the earliest memory of someone actually pointing me out as someone that has an ability to sing. I was probably like 7 years old." The singer-songwriter had learned to play keyboards and drum pads while at secondary school.She started busking in Melbourne, while working in fashion retail at the Universal Store.
In 2009, as Toni Watson, she created a YouTube page and posted a cappella cover versions of songs. She performed local gigs and festivals, including the Let Go festival. Tones was the vocalist for a duo in 2014, and remembered: "I started out singing in small pubs and bars in Mornington, I was singing along to a guitarist until I ended up branching out on my own." She explained her shift to a solo career: "I actually got made redundant from my retail job and with that money I bought an RC300 (loop station) and just started to try to figure it all out." She busked "up and down the east coast with her synthesizers and loop pedal, she has been building a loyal fanbase and captivating crowds with her genre-diverse style."
In September 2017, the singer-songwriter travelled to Byron Bay in the Australian state of New South Wales to try busking there. At an early performance, she met Jackson Walkden-Brown who became her manager about a month later. Her busking success led to a greater commitment to a music career. The artist spent 2018 living between Walkden-Brown's home in the Gold Coast hinterland and in her van in Byron Bay, writing music and busking full-time. Later that year she won the Battle of the Buskers at Buskers by the Creek.
Bad Child
Tones And I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Throwin' me away into the bad pile
All my life been puttin' on a fake smile
Sittin' on my own, feel like I'm exiled
Feelin' like I always do the wrong things
Tellin' all their friends that I'm the bad kid
Now I'm on my own, I lost my magic
Dealin' with your bullshit now I'm over it
And you took a part of me
Left me with the memories, oh
We were never a family
Now you're standin' in front of my door-or-or
Like none of this happened at all-all-all
I guess I'm always gonna be the bad child
I guess I'm always gonna be the mad child
'Cause you will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
And to every single person here that doubts me
Tellin' me that they could live without me
'Cause they will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
I've never really been the one to reach out
Actin' like my life was squeaky clean now
Like everythin' I do is just a letdown
Feelin' like I always do the wrong things
Tellin' all their friends that I'm the bad kid
Now I'm on my own, I lost my magic
Dealin' with your bullshit now I'm over it
And you took a part of me
Left me with the memories, oh
We were never a family
Now you're standin' in front of my door-or-or
Like none of this happened at all-all-all
I guess I'm always gonna be the bad child
I guess I'm always gonna be the mad child
'Cause you will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
And to every single person here that doubts me
Tellin' me that they could live without me
'Cause they will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
They say I've lost my mind
They I'll never find it
I think they're kind of right
In fact, I kind of like it
They say I've lost my mind
They I'll never find it
I think they're kind of right
I guess I'm always gonna be the bad child
I guess I'm always gonna be the mad child
'Cause you will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
And to every single person here that doubts me
Tellin' me that they could live without me
'Cause they will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
My family always said I was the bad child
The song "Bad Child" by Tones and I is a heartfelt anthem about feeling misunderstood and ostracized by one's own family. The lyrics describe the singer's experience growing up as the "bad child," always being pushed aside and judged for their actions. Despite being constantly told that they are wrong, the singer is unable to change who they are and is left feeling alone and rejected by their family. The chorus highlights this feeling of being an outcast, as the singer laments that they will always be considered the "bad child" by those around them.
Throughout the song, Tones and I also touches on themes of self-acceptance and individuality. Despite being judged for their "weird mind," the singer refuses to conform to what others say is normal, and instead embraces the unique qualities that make them who they are. The line "I think they're kind of right, in fact, I kind of like it" exemplifies this attitude, as the singer acknowledges that they may be seen as strange or crazy, but they are okay with it because it's a part of who they are.
Overall, "Bad Child" is a powerful song that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong. By emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and individuality, Tones and I reminds us that it's okay to be different and that it's important to stay true to ourselves, no matter what other people may say.
Line by Line Meaning
My family always said I was the bad child
Since I was a child, my family always labeled me as the 'bad child', the one who did something wrong, always in the 'bad pile'.
Throwin' me away into the bad pile
I was rejected and thrown away by my family, often disregarded and labelled as bad, just ended up in the 'bad pile'.
All my life been puttin' on a fake smile
I have been pretending to be happy and putting on a fake smile all my life, as I feel alone and exiled from everyone else.
Sittin' on my own, feel like I'm exiled
I feel like I'm all alone and exiled, as no one seems to understand me or wants to be around me due to my 'bad' behaviour.
Feelin' like I always do the wrong things
I always feel like I'm doing something wrong or that I can't do anything right, which adds to my already low sense of self-worth.
Tellin' all their friends that I'm the bad kid
My family always talks negatively about me to their friends, labelling me as the 'bad kid', further affecting my reputation and self-esteem.
Now I'm on my own, I lost my magic
I am now alone, with no support from anyone, and I have lost my former passion, creativity, and ability to cope with my life.
Dealin' with your bullshit now I'm over it
I am now dealing with the unnecessary and frustrating problems caused by those who have labelled me as the bad child. I am fed up and tired and am now done with it all.
And you took a part of me
Left me with the memories, oh
We were never a family
Now you're standin' in front of my door-or-or
Like none of this happened at all-all-all
You took a part of me when you threw me away and left me with negative memories and no sense of belonging to a family. Now you stand in front of my door as if nothing happened and everything is okay.
I guess I'm always gonna be the bad child
I guess I'm always gonna be the mad child
'Cause you will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
And to every single person here that doubts me
Tellin' me that they could live without me
'Cause they will never understand my weird mind
My weird mind
I suppose I will always be labelled as the bad child and mad child as people will never understand my unique and strange ways of thinking, which leads them to doubt if they even need me in their lives.
I've never really been the one to reach out
Actin' like my life was squeaky clean now
Like everythin' I do is just a letdown
Feelin' like I always do the wrong things
I have never been the type to reach out for help, and I act like my life is perfect and 'squeaky clean.' However, everything I do ends up being a disappointment, and I always feel like I'm doing something wrong.
They say I've lost my mind
They I'll never find it
I think they're kind of right
In fact, I kind of like it
People say I have lost my mind and will never find it, and I think they might be right. However, I think I like it, as it allows me to think creatively and uniquely.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Toni Watson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thatjesusfreakk
Parents:
“why are you always on your phone?”
“why are you always in your room?”
“why can’t you go out and socialize?”
“why are you always wearing this?”
“why don’t you just try this?”
“why are you getting mad so easily?”
“why don’t you hang out with your real-life friends instead of your online friends?”
“you have to get an A+!!!”
“just why!?!”
Their Child’s Mind:
“i’m trying my best.”
“i can’t go and socialize that easily... they’re going to judge me!”
“i’m scared.”
“i’m hopeless. useless. worthless.”
“do you love me?”
“who am i..”
“why can’t i enjoy the things i used to enjoy before...”
“i’m never gonna be good-enough. i swear i’m trying! but.... i’m just hopeless.. maybe that’s why i’m always failing..”
“i’m just a stupid failure.”
@MuricaTurkey
This song perfectly describes my relationship with my family, and then with most others as well. Because when you grow up being told you're bad, weird, and that they could do without you, you carry that trauma on your shoulders out into the world.
That attracts people (predators, really) looking for someone vulnerable.
Which then makes more bad things happen to you.
And common (effed up bs) "wisdom" is everyone can't be wrong. If you keep running into problems with people, well, maybe it's you. 🙄
Then rumors and judgment swirl and grow and next thing you know, everyone thinks you're "bad".
You start to believe there is something deeply wrong with you. That you're nothing but a problem. That you maybe should, well...you know. 😔
Thankfully, I have numerous therapists, and I'm working very hard to fight that effed up mindset. But it's very, very difficult. One day at a time, I'll get there.
@mai-chan5809
this hits different when your the child that
"always starts arguments for no reason"
"cry over nothing"
"ruins every family day out"
"can never be trusted"
"never respects anyone just because. We dONt respEct Her/him"
"a joke"
y'all ever heard these before? well yh, me too.
edit: hey, I see a lot of people have similar stories and feel that everyone in the family is against them, well your not alone. I know that isnt a good thing but know people out there are counting on you to be here I and many other people are SO proud that you are still getting through this, and im sorry we have to go through such treatment. at this point im just happy with myself if nobody else is, we love you and we're proud of you :)
@depressedtoaster6672
This hits super hard when you try so hard to be "golden child" but everyone always seems disappointed in you no matter what you do
@aliciawilkerson7296
I completely understand this!
@blackraven2062
You don't need to be the golden child if they can't see good in you that's their problem the only approval you'll ever need is your own stay strong you got this
You don't need their approval see the good in yourself abusive parents suck whether it's physical or emotional abuse
@sonja_rademacher
Don't try to be the golden child. Just try to not give up. The day will come when you are free and you gather your friends around you who love you and appreciate you.
@beverlynolan6683
True man
@MattyGriffin-ct3bn
Why try to be something your not? Be yourself dude and own it!
@maggie8062
“And to every single person here that doubts me, telling me that they could live without me” hits hard
@aussieopalgirl2915
She proofed them wrong. Now they would like to get a piece of her cake. Lol
@fraumaier874
To be over ist- and a Superstar full of wisedom.
@mrred5366
To be honest her voice suck aaf