Tones & I - 'I Am Free'

Australian singer-songwriter Toni Watson, better known as Tones & I had the musical success story every artist dreams of. Prior to her breakthrough in 2020, Watson was busking on the streets of Melbourne. Ironically her honest take on the repetitive cycle of entertaining crowds daily to succeed as a recording artist ‘Dance Monkey’ became the smash hit she worked so hard for. It not only made her a household name but broke chart records formerly held by Whitney Houston and Rihanna but became the 3rd most streamed song on Spotify ever.

Three years later, her honesty serves a different purpose on her latest release ‘I Am Free’. Watson revealed more about the standalone track saying “It's about self-reflecting on those relationships, acknowledging that I still carry parts of them with me and taking my share of responsibility for what happened”.

Backed by a choir and orchestra, the euphoric piano-driven anthem is less broody melancholia, more a hopeful vision for the future. While the tarot cards don’t offer much foresight about what is in store for the Melbourne megastar, one thing that is certain is Tones & I will be touring with Macklemore playing shows in Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London this April.

Tones & I has made a bright career out of her diary-like admissions that are as catchy as they are candid. It is clear that ‘I Am Free’ is the gripping chapter that makes it clear her story is far from over.

Words by Oliver Evans

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