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.
Fly Away
Tones And I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would just fly, fly away
And I always knew I couldn't stay
So I had a dream that I'd just fly away
I've been on my own for a minute
Is it only me out here?
Searchin' for the place to begin it
Standin' on the line I was given
People stare and ask me why I'm here
No one seems to think that I fit in
But I don't wanna be like them
No, 'cause I don't wanna be like them
'Cause I know that I, know that I
I had a dream that some day
I would just fly, fly away
And I always knew I couldn't stay
So I had a dream that I'd just fly away, away
Oh, oh
Oh, oh, I'd fly away
No one knew how low I was feeling
I was scared to reach for it all
Knowin' I was here for a reason
But I was scared that if I tried, I'd fall
So where do I go now that I'm in it?
I never thought it'd be like this
Dreamed it all my life and I did it
Thought the grass was greener than it is
'Cause I had a dream that some day
I would just fly, fly away
And I always knew I couldn't stay
So I had a dream that I'd just fly away, away
Oh, oh (fly, fly)
Oh, oh, I'd fly away
Whoa, whoa, whoa (fly, fly)
Oh, I'd fly away
'Cause I had a dream that some day
I would just fly, fly away
And I always knew I couldn't stay
So I had a dream that I'd just fly away, away
Oh, oh (fly, fly away)
Whoa (fly, fly away)
Whoa (fly, fly away), whoa
Whoa, I'd fly away
(Mmh, mmh)
(Mmh, mmh)
In "Fly Away", Tones and I speaks about the desire to escape and be free from a difficult situation. The lyrics revolve around a dream that she's always had, where she would just fly away when things got tough. Tones expresses that she's been on her own for a while, and feels like she doesn't fit in with the people around her. She's standing on the line that's been given to her, but she's not happy with it. She wants to break free from her current circumstances and explore beyond her limitations. The chorus, "I had a dream that some day I would just fly, fly away", highlights the longing for an escapade. Tones knows that she can't stay put and has to venture into the unknown because that's where she finds her true calling.
In the second verse, Tones reveals that despite her determination, she's feeling low and scared to take the leap of faith. She knows that she's destined for a greater purpose, but the fear of failure is holding her back. Nevertheless, she decides to pursue her dreams, aware that it might not be as easy as she imagined. She has to find her way, even if it means risking it all.
The song ultimately speaks about personal growth and exploration, breaking free from stereotypes and pursuing one's dreams. Tones and I closes the song with her dream of flying away, reiterating how important it is to pursue one's ambitions regardless of the hurdles along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
And I had a dream that some day
Tones and I once had a big dream of success, which started from a simple vision.
I would just fly, fly away
The dream was to soar high and far, achieving something beyond the ordinary.
And I always knew I couldn't stay
She was aware that to fulfill her dream, she must leave behind her old life and venture towards a new horizon.
So I had a dream that I'd just fly away
She had hoped for a better future and visualized herself flying away from her current situation.
I've been on my own for a minute
The reality of being successful was a lonely journey, and Tones and I had to go through the journey by herself.
Is it only me out here?
At times, she felt lonely and isolated, wondering if anyone else was working as hard as she was.
Searchin' for the place to begin it
In search of a starting point for a successful career, she had to go through a lot of trial and error to find the right path.
Is it me? Is it you? Is it fear?
She questioned herself, wondering if the journey was a self-discovery or was the fear of unknown holding her back.
Standin' on the line I was given
She was standing on the path that life set for her, not knowing what to expect.
People stare and ask me why I'm here
The people around her didn't understand her vision, and she had to face criticism and doubt for being different.
No one seems to think that I fit in
Nobody saw her vision or had faith in her, causing a sense of detachment from society.
But I don't wanna be like them
Tones and I had a different path to continue, and she didn't where to fit in if she followed society's norm.
No, 'cause I don't wanna be like them
She never wanted to be a part of the crowd.
'Cause I know that I, know that I
She had a strong conviction in her abilities and was always aware of her potential.
No one knew how low I was feeling
At times, when lonely, Tones and I would feel depressed and lost.
I was scared to reach for it all
The magnitude of success scared her, and sometimes it felt impossible to achieve.
Knowin' I was here for a reason
She believed that she was destined for success and that the purpose of her being alive was to create something spectacular.
But I was scared that if I tried, I'd fall
She was fearful of failure and the unknown, which caused her to doubt her vision.
So where do I go now that I'm in it?
Now that she's in her journey towards success, she wonders what's the next step to take.
I never thought it'd be like this
The path to success is full of unexpected moments, and Tones and I couldn't predict how difficult it was.
Dreamed it all my life, and I did it
Regardless of the struggles and hardships, she never gave up on her dream and has finally accomplished it.
Thought the grass was greener than it is
The outcome of her journey may not be what she had expected, even though it's good, it is not as greener as she thought.
Whoa (fly, fly away)
The chorus repeats, emphasizing that her dream was to fly away to discover her success.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Toni Watson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sophieramsden1478
I remember one of her interviews where people told her, she was terrible and no one would like her music - how wrong they were! she’s the most underrated artist out there, her voice is perfection and in this day an age the purpose and meanings behind her songs are powerful - love it ❤️
@thomastruong7041
C’est 😅😅qq😊😊😊😅😅qq😮😢😮😅😊 3:30 😊
@madisonhamil9215
Imagine being a person who was a part of this, standing in that room, imagine that energy. This is incredible ❤️
@JprimeWorld
Imagining imagine an imagination imagining it
@toniorford9357
It would be absolutely awesome, she is just so humble it would like being at a huge party 🎉 but just not getting to close 🇦🇺🧚🌈💕x
@shadmanmirza4137
Incredible experience “well jell “ these are epic people perfect performance gonna be massive day!
@agusandro1151
1:30 ɪᴘʜᴏɴᴇ 12 ᴘʀᴏ ɢ.ɪ.ᴠ.ᴇ.ᴀ.ᴡ.ᴀ.ʏ ʙʏ ᴀᴘᴘʟᴇ ❤️😘 ..👍 Clickhere : youtu.be/49mwt6s95aY
!💖🖤❤️今後は気をライブ配信の再編ありがとうです!この日のライブ配信は、かならりやばかったですね!1万人を超える人が見ていたもん(笑)やっぱり人参最高!まさかのカメラ切り忘れでやら1かしたのもドキドキでした,. 💖🖤在整個人類歷史上,強者,富人和具有狡猾特質的人捕食部落,氏族,城鎮,城市和鄉村中的弱者,無`'守和貧窮成員。然而,人類的生存意願迫使那些被拒絕,被剝奪或摧毀的基本需求的人們找到了一種生活方式,並繼續將其DNA融入不斷發展的人類社會。. 說到食物,不要以為那些被拒絕的人只吃垃圾。相反,他們學會了在被忽視的肉類和蔬菜中尋找營養。他們學會了清潔,切塊,調味和慢燉慢燉的野菜和肉類,在食品市場上被忽略的部分家用蔬菜和肉類,並且學會了使用芳香的木煙(如山核桃,山核桃和豆科灌木 來調味g食物煮的時候1
1620641157
@alischwark1010
This would be INCREDIBLE to hear in person 🔥
@kirstyholgate7746
Absolutely love her voice gives me goosebumps every time!
@charlenederbyshire5667
Same tingle galore xx goode pimples every time yes meditation opens up the bodys shakras and this amazing lady has the same effect xx free spirit