Tones and I’s song ‘Dance Monkey’ is a certified hit across fourteen countries, having achieved gold, platinum, and silver status in a multitude of charts include that of the United Kingdom, Germany and the artist’s homeland, Australia.

It’s a bonafide dance number that is arousing excitement and a whole lot of curiosity among crowds across the world. In a way, it is a perfect remedy to the whirlpool of electronic dance music and hip-hop that has dominated the playlists for the better part of the last few years: it is understated, it is lively without being overwhelming, it is vocally and lyrically powerful enough to be immense singable and finally the music video demonstrates the depth of charisma possessed by the nineteen-year-old based in Byron Bay. 

So when Tones and I goes the extra step and introduced a stripped-down version to the mix, it automatically intrigues the listeners even more. Foregoing the juicy beats from the original or the boisterous, colorful aesthetic of the music video, the stripped-down version focuses on the voice, first and foremost: its simplicity, its rawness, its resilience in the fact of pitch modulations and tonal shifts. Tones and I’s inherent talent emerges in how sharp her voice cracks at the high notes, the amount of emotion she has inserted into what is a fairly light-hearted dance number. It also highlights the complex composition of the song and Tones and I adeptly approaches it with charm, resilience and plenty of personality - all of which is delivered from behind a grand piano.

Seeing Tones and I’s nationality and style of vocal performance, a lot of comparisons are going to be made with pop extraordinaire Sia; they both flourish in the dance-pop genre that accentuates their chilling, abrasive but intense voices. Tones and I may just be nineteen but she already showcases maturity in this stripped-down version, from the warm but faded lightning used to direct her performance to the loud but slow piano chords buoying her raspy voice. Her debut EP The Kids Are Coming released over a few months back and it is already storming its way through the charts and the hearts. 

A top rated comment from her Youtube video reads:

Nobody realises how beautiful her voice actually is when she holds back and takes the treble down a few notches, she actually has technically a superior voice to most female singers. This performance showcases some of those pure notes without the husky scream or forceful expulsion of air it's absolutely beautiful"

In under a week the song has had over 1 millions plays and streams collectively between Youtube and Spotify.

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