It’s safe to say the upcoming Tones and I debut album is one of our most hotly-anticipated new releases of the year.
Set to premiere on Friday, July 16th, Welcome to the Madhouse will serve as the culmination of years of hard work from the bonafide Aussie superstar.
Having already taken the world by storm with the wild success of tracks like ‘Dance Monkey’, it’s clear that this is just the beginning for the former busker.
Although we’re (im)patiently awaiting the chance to listen to the full record, Tones and I has already shared several snippets of what we can expect from it.
Ahead of the release of Welcome to the Madhouse by Tones and I, we’re taking a look at some of our favourite tracks from the album (so far).
‘Fly Away’
Written while Tones was quarantining at home during the pandemic, the lyrics of ‘Fly Away’ are easily some of the most relatable we’ve heard from her so far. Influenced by her time as a busker, the track is for anyone who’s ever dreamt of something bigger and of reaching their goals.
As Tones herself explained, there’s also a bittersweet feel to the track that was inspired by the “realities that [come] with” achieving success.
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“Being a busker, I obviously had bigger dreams. However, this song is inspired by the way I thought I would feel versus the way I actually feel. I think that’s very powerful, at least to me. It’s about genuine happiness and what we think we need to have happiness versus what we actually want,” she said.
‘Won’t Sleep’
Another song that came to be as a result of the pandemic, ‘Won’t Sleep’ serves as an ode to finding the fun in the unlikeliest of situations. Filled with Tones and I signatures like witty lyricism and an undeniably catchy hook, the track might just be Tones at her most playful.
“I loved writing this song and playing around with the production, the bass, and the drums. It’s a song about me and my friends staying home and partying through lockdown,” Tones said.
‘Cloudy Day’
It’s no exaggeration to say to ‘Cloudy Day’ is a straight-up anthem, one that will no doubt move listeners with its touching lyrics, stirring vocal delivery and Gospel-esque choir. The song is made all the more powerful by the fact it was written while Tones was in the midst of grieving a friend gone too soon.
“After my friend T passed away I was struggling to write any songs that were happy or that I even liked. I met up with a friend who told me this saying from his late mum – ‘on a cloudy day, look up into the sky and find the sun.’ I knew I wanted to use that as a lyric and the next time I went into the studio I wrote ‘Cloudy Day’,” said Tones.
‘Not Going Home’
Although the full version of ‘Not Going Home’ has not yet been released, fans were treated to a sneak peek of the track thanks to its feature on the trailer for US drama series Panic. Boy, are we glad that the snippet is out there, as Tones’ soaring vocals and powerful belting look set to cement the song as one of the highlights of the album.
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We’re giving away a Tones and I merch pack right now, including her debut album on vinyl, a hoodie, at-shirt and a backpack. Head here to enter – it’s free!
