Toni Watson, professionally known as Tones & I, is an Australian singer and songwriter who gained worldwide recognition with her hit single ‘Dance Monkey’. Born and raised in Mornington Peninsula, Australia, Tones & I developed a passion for music during her school years. Her chart-topping success and record-breaking achievements on the ARIA Singles Chart have solidified her status as a prominent artist. With other notable tracks like ‘Never Seen the Rain’, Tones & I continues to make waves in the international music scene.
Quick Facts
- Australian Celebrities Born In August
- Also Known As: Toni Watson
- Age: 23 Years, 23 Year Old Females
- Born Country: Australia
- Pop Singers
- Record Producers
Rise to Fame
Toni Watson’s professional music career began in February 2019 when she signed with Bad Batch Records/Sony Music Australia. Shortly after, she uploaded her debut single ‘Johnny Run Away’ to Unearthed, an Australian website that publishes music from unsigned artists. In a short time, the single became a viral sensation, peaking at the 12th position on the Australian charts and the 83rd position on the Irish charts.
Success with ‘Dance Monkey’
In May 2019, Toni Watson released her second single, ‘Dance Monkey’. The song was a big hit, earning much appreciation from fans and praise from critics. It topped the singles charts in many countries, including Australia, China, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. ‘Dance Monkey’ also holds the record for spending the most weeks at the first position on the Australian Singles chart. It reached a billion streams on Spotify, making it the second Australian single to achieve this milestone.
International Recognition
With the success of ‘Dance Monkey’, Toni Watson’s popularity reached new heights. On November 18, 2019, she appeared on the US TV show ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’, where she performed the song. The following week, she was seen on ‘The Voice’. ‘Dance Monkey’ also entered the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching the fourth position.
‘Never Seen the Rain’ and ‘The Kids are Coming’
Toni Watson’s third single, ‘Never Seen the Rain’, was released in July 2019. While it reached the top ten charts in Australia and New Zealand, it was not as successful as her previous work. Around the same time, she released her debut extended play, ‘The Kids are Coming’, which consisted of six singles, including ‘The Kids are Coming’, ‘Dance Monkey’, ‘Colourblind’, ‘Johnny Run Away’, ‘Jimmy’, and ‘Never Seen the Rain’. The EP performed well on various charts, reaching the 3rd position on the Australian Albums chart, the 10th position on the Canadian Albums chart, the 19th position on the Finnish Albums chart, the 9th position on the Latvian Albums chart, and the 15th position on the Swedish Albums chart. It also charted on the US Billboard 200 at the 30th position.
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Toni Watson was born and raised in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, on August 15, 2000. She developed her musical skills while still in secondary school, learning to play the keyboards and drum pads. She also created a YouTube channel to share her music and performed at local gigs and festivals before launching her professional career.