In 2019, Tones and I – creator of the chart-breaking hit track “Dance Monkey” – made her US TV debut when she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Armed with a piano and an incredible voice, she showed the US, and the world, the wealth of talent that she possesses. It was also a surprising performance to fans all over the world, who had previously mistaken her voice for autotune. However, in this clip, those rumors were squashed; her voice is 100% natural.
The success that Tones and I experienced with “Dance Monkey” is nothing short of extraordinary. The single was a complete and total hit, reaching the number one spot in over 30 countries, and also spending 24 weeks at the number one spot on the Australian charts. All of this has led to her becoming the first female artist to ever reach over 3 billion streams on Spotify from one song, “Dance Monkey”. Watch her play it live in her US TV debut in the video below:
This may have been Tones and I’s US debut, but it’s quite clear from this performance that she is no stranger to owning a stage. Her impressive vocal range and heartfelt body language show that she was born to perform, and with “Dance Monkey” alone having over 2.1 billion views on YouTube, it’s safe to say that she has excelled!
While “Dance Monkey” is without a doubt Tones and I’s biggest hit to date, she has also played a part in some other chart-topping heavy hitters throughout the length of her career. Her 2021 song “Bad Child” was shortlisted for Song of the Year at the 2021 APRA Awards, and “Fly Away” was shortlisted for the same award the following year. “Fly Away” peaked at the number four spot in Australia, and you can give it a listen in the video below.
What began as a dedication to music turned into Toni Watson pursuing a full-blown career in the industry at a young age. After learning to play the keyboard in secondary school and discovering that she could sing at a young age, she began busking as a side hustle before eventually releasing music on the Internet in the form of song covers. This would eventually lead to her becoming a hugely successful worldwide sensation.
Among the incredible success of “Dance Monkey”, she was the most awarded artist at the 2019 ARIA Music Awards, where she won four awards.