TONIA SOULBIRD
The unique, free-spirited and soulful Tonia Soulbird sings with a mission to uplift with her emotive tone and powerful vocals which sets her apart as an unorthodox artist. With the release of her latest album "Soulbird", Tonia channels her deep emotion and passion for music into each song. Having previously performed at London's Renowned Venue, 'The Jazz Cafe' and opened the show for the likes of Etta Bond at London's Famous Camden Assembly, listeners are left feeling inspired and uplifted after every show.
Listen to the "SOULBIRD" album available on all platforms now.
Do you remember the first time you fell in love with music?
Ah, what a question.. sort of reminds me of Common’s song, “I used to love H-E-R”. Funnily enough, I might have been about 10 years old.. My earliest memory of enjoying music was when I was about 10 years old; pretending to hold a mic and perform. At that age, I had no idea I would be releasing at album about 20 years later but I now understand that God was planting those seeds in me. Music has always been apart of my life.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Lauryn Hill is one. I admire her devotion to Truth. Her level of musical excellence also cannot be ignored - she is phenomenal. I love all types of music, principally gospel music, jazz, afro gospel, grime & rnb. I am influenced by anything that moves me.
Your music is about uplifting and elevating others, what do you hope people will take away from this album when they listen to it?
I hope that people are left with a spirit of joy. Real joy. Their situations might not change but perhaps their attitudes towards them might.
What was your creative process like when writing 'soulbird'
The process for writing each song was different but it was a very spiritual process. For example, when I wrote “The Reason”, each word flooded to my spirit one after the other, on a random morning, and I had to quickly document it. It was very intense. If I didn’t have a notepad, I would not have caught all the words. Every song was triggered by deep emotion. Impulsive. God-inspired words. I wrote ‘Soulbird’ at a time of my life when I was frustrated, hurt, courageous & rebellious. I wrote all of the songs with a deep belief, that love is all that truly matters.
What was the first song you decided to feature on your album?
I knew for sure that I would feature “Love Finds A Way”. It’s the people’s favourite!
How has music helped your creative journey?
I am a deeply passionate and soulful woman. Music gives me the space to channel what I feel inside. There’s no rules with music and there are no boxes. Music reminds me of that. It lets me be me.
Since releasing your album, what have you learnt about youself as a creative?
I have learnt not to force anything. I think it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking of a new song or project just because I have released at album. I have learnt to be patient. To wait for God to do what he wants to do with me. Whatever he says he wants me to do, I’ll say yes.
What's your plans for the rest of the year?
I want the album to continue marinating. 2020 has been a crazy one. Who knows, maybe it’ll inspire some new words..