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.
Gold
Tones And I Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna heal my soul
I try to put on a show
But all that glitters ain't gold
No I don't know how (no I don't know how)
I'm gonna heal my soul (I'm gonna heal my soul)
I try to put on a show (I try to put on a show)
But all that glitters ain't gold (all that glitters ain't, all that glitters ain't)
Try to stop from living in hell just a lil bit
Got to believe in myself just a lil bit (lil bit)
Yeah
Lookin in the mirror still I see a king there
Try to get myself to realize everywhere
I can still be that guy when she ain't here (she ain't here)
Maybe I thought life was a breeze
Maybe I'm just searching for peace
Maybe I (maybe I)
Failed what I expected to be
I put all that pressure on me
Maybe I (maybe I)
Should be more accepting of me
I'm what I am thankful to be
Maybe I'm (maybe I'm)
Fearful of the mortal in me
I know one day we got to leave (we got to leave)
I know one day we got to leave (we got to leave)
I know one day we got to leave (we got to leave)
No I don't know how
I'm gonna heal my soul
I try to put on a show
But all that glitters ain't gold
No I don't know how (no I don't know how)
I'm gonna heal my soul (I'm gonna heal my soul)
I try to put on a show (I try to put on a show)
But all that glitters ain't gold (all that glitters ain't, all that glitters ain't)
The lyrics to Tones And I's song "Gold" explore themes of self-doubt, self-acceptance, and the realization that appearances can be deceiving. The singer expresses their uncertainty about how to heal their soul, as they struggle to put on a facade or a show for others. The phrase "all that glitters ain't gold" serves as a reminder that not everything that appears beautiful or successful on the surface may be genuine or fulfilling.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of self-improvement and self-belief. The singer acknowledges that they need to like themselves a little more, stop dwelling in negativity, and start believing in their own capabilities. They reflect on the image they see in the mirror and recognize the potential within themselves to be a king, someone who can still thrive even when others aren't present. The lyrics hint at a journey of self-discovery and learning to embrace who they truly are.
Furthermore, the lyrics delve into the singer's internal struggle with expectations. They acknowledge that they have placed immense pressure on themselves, possibly leading to feelings of failure when they don't live up to their own standards. The reflection of being more accepting and grateful for who they are suggests a desire to let go of insecurities and embrace their true self. The phrase "maybe I'm fearful of the mortal in me" implies a fear of one's mortality and the transient nature of life, adding a layer of existential contemplation to the song.
Overall, "Gold" encapsulates the inner journey of the singer, as they grapple with self-doubt, seek self-acceptance, and recognize the difference between superficial appearances and genuine fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
No I don't know how
I have no idea how
I'm gonna heal my soul
I will find a way to heal my inner self
I try to put on a show
I attempt to hide my true emotions
But all that glitters ain't gold
However, not everything that appears perfect is actually perfect
Maybe if I liked myself just a lil bit
Perhaps if I had a little more self-love
Try to stop from living in hell just a lil bit
I struggle to escape the feeling of being trapped in a negative state
Got to believe in myself just a lil bit (lil bit)
I need to have a small amount of faith in my own abilities
Lookin in the mirror still I see a king there
When I look at myself in the mirror, I still see someone strong and powerful
Try to get myself to realize everywhere
I try to make myself understand my worth and potential
I can still be that guy when she ain't here (she ain't here)
I can still be confident and happy even when she is not around
Maybe I thought life was a breeze
Perhaps I believed life would be easy and effortless
Maybe I'm just searching for peace
Maybe I'm simply looking for inner tranquility
Maybe I (maybe I)
Perhaps I
Failed what I expected to be
Did not live up to my own expectations
I put all that pressure on me
I placed all the weight and expectations on myself
Maybe I (maybe I)
Perhaps I
Should be more accepting of me
I should learn to embrace and accept myself
I'm what I am thankful to be
I am grateful for who I am
Maybe I'm (maybe I'm)
Perhaps I am
Fearful of the mortal in me
Afraid of my own human vulnerabilities
I know one day we got to leave (we got to leave)
I am aware that one day we have to depart from this world
No I don't know how
I have no idea how
I'm gonna heal my soul
I will find a way to heal my inner self
I try to put on a show
I attempt to hide my true emotions
But all that glitters ain't gold
However, not everything that appears perfect is actually perfect
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Letone Themes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zenyattakawai3076
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love I said it
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love I said it
I might as well be in a garden
I said, ah
A smell in the air is a dripping rose (you could be the one for me)
Another soul to meet my void then
Of anything bare that's made of gold
A physical kiss is nothing without it
And you close your eyes to see what it's done
The body that lies is built up on looking
'Cause all that remains before it's begun
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love, I said it
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love, I said it
A heart will swell before it's hardened
With the flick of the hair, it can make you old
Another hole to dig my soul in
I'll leave anything bare that keeps me soul
A physical kiss is nothing without it
And you close your eyes to see what it's done
The body that lies is built up on looking
'Cause all that remains before it's begun
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love, I said it
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love, I said it
You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved a
Another one, another you
It's gotta be love, I said it
@johnzuijdveld9585
She just brings out your soul whether the words matter or not.Her sounds just pull at your heart and you feel your human vulnerabilities.
@roachqueen1973
I’ve listened to almost every song on her channel. And her voice brings me to tears. It’s is otherworldly and visceral. #DoTheDamnThing
@andreamuir5169
Soul in your voice what a beautiful singer 💙
@Kenabukanyo
What a beautiful 2019 autumn this is ... May her voice enter in the collective mind as a mark of autumn among the jazz and blues masterpieces .
@user-mb6cv6uh9b
Can't breathe while I'm hearing your voice... it is magic...
@1979kath
Wow!! Just wow 😮.... you, your voice, just “you” are absolute amazeballz girlfriend!!! 👌❤️😎🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼. Please don’t EVER stop ✋ what you are doing... EVER!! You are a “complete, meant to be!” ❤️❤️😎🙌🏼👌❤️
@angelanicholasstonehicks6431
I can't get enough!!!! Finally music from the heart. Thank you so much for your music truly vibrates my soul. Your voice is precisely what my ears have been longing for. I hope you keep on creating your music for the world needs your vibe!!!
@johnzuijdveld9585
john zuijdveld
49 seconds ago
"She just brings out your soul whether the words matter or not. Her sounds just pull at your heart and you feel your human vulnerabilities." she reminds me of Amy Winehouse (spelling?) but she really is NOT the same.To me it feels more intimately personal.
@franko.1665
Darling: YOU are the Reason why People listen Music. You are stunning and absolutely incredible. I love YOU! REALLY
@dakotarumali4354
I'm in love with her voice! Soul shaking!