We recently connected with Tonee Heart and have shared our conversation below.
Tonee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
It all truly started as a kid on that karaoke machine.
One of the best gifts I ever received growing up was a karaoke machine that came with one mic, a CD player, and cassette tape player. Nothing over the top but so impactful to me. I’d spend hours listening to albums and then recording myself singing a cappella onto my blank cassette tapes. I’d listen back and if I heard even one slight imperfection in my voice, I’d rewind the tape and rerecord my take. I did this consistently for years to the point that my parents had to buy me a 2nd machine because the original one broke! I loved every moment of these exploration stages, which really helped me learn my vocal instrument and become comfortable with my own sound.
My first experience working in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) was with GarageBand, which became a vortex of taking those youthful days recording on my cassette tapes and spinning it on its head. It all felt so organic to record myself but this time, I was able to play with various effects including delay, reverb, distortion and so many others. I began falling in love with the creative process of laying raw ideas and vocals down and bringing them to life through mix engineering. This initial play sparked a deep curiosity about mixing and editing sounds. Once I made my upgrade to Logic, I immersed myself in countless YouTube tutorials, and as I grew more confident, I started recording my own original songs on beats I produced myself. This hands-on experience and passion for learning culminated in the release of my EP, “Universal Conspiracy.”
However, none of this came without frustrations. I’d find myself creatively stuck struggling to achieve a more polished sound because I wanted to release music I felt proud of! But I quickly learned how important it was to simply start right where I was and polish along the journey.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As a singer/songwriter with a side interest in beat making and mix engineering, I aim to convey my deepest emotions through melody and frequency. My hope is that my music and overall vibe creates a safe space for others to connect with their own emotions, explore their feelings and simply experience something meaningful. My sound is rooted in R&B, although my goal is to expand into a genre-bending, deep house-influenced style.
In recent years, I started reimagining and covering some of my favorite songs on Youtube and Instagram. My approach was to sing medleys of 90’s and early 2000’s R&B classics that I knew my peers would recognize and appreciate, alongside instrumentals from current hip hop and R&B tracks. Mix the old with the new. The feedback helped me build my confidence in showcasing my creativity where I’d normally hesitate out of fear of being perceived. Eventually I began releasing original music and music videos, including my EP and three additional singles: “Weakness,” “The Game,” and “Purgatory.” My most recent single, “Divine Design,” marks the beginning of a new era in my music that I’m excited to continue exploring.
The main thing I want my followers to know about me is that, despite my growth in sharing creatively, I still struggle to fully let down my guard. Being open and vulnerable in my art can be difficult because it means exposing raw emotions to the world. This level of transparency can feel uncomfortable and intimidating since it leaves me open to judgment and criticism.
I hope to overcome this challenge not only for me but for fellow artists that have dormant talents waiting to be shared. I hope my story can inspire them to push themselves out of those comfort zones as I push myself as well.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A significant lesson I had to unlearn was the need for perfection when creating original music. In the beginning, I was so focused on producing flawless work and emerging as an expert that it held me back. This mindset led to endless excuses for not releasing my music. I’d constantly compare myself to artists who were already years into their journeys, which was poison to my own creative expression.
As I studied the paths of other singers, from their first interviews to their early singles and major performances, I realized that no one starts as a fully polished package. Growth and refinement happen over time! The key is to take that first step, learn along the way, make mistakes, and grow stronger from them.
Although I sometimes cringe at my early work, I can see and hear my progress, which excites me for the future and nudges me to keep going.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
It’s so healing to transform my imaginations and ideas into tangible forms and see them come to life in reality versus just existing in my mind. Plus, that sense of accomplishment after releasing a cover, a single, or a music video. It’s fulfilling to turn abstract concepts into something real.
Once the art is out there, it takes on a life of its own, fitting into the reality of each person who experiences it. Its meaning and influence become fluid and dependent on who’s engaging with it at any given moment. I love that!
Seeing the way my work motivates people in unique and personal ways fuels my desire to push harder. Get out of my own way. Being able to contribute to someone’s emotional journey is what makes being an artist so profound and I’m super excited to share some of the new music I’ve been working on!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.toneeheart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toneeheart
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/toneeheart1
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/toneeheart
Image Credits
Andrew Senteno