Alicia Toner wants to Have It All in her new single — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
A preview of the East Coast singer-songwriter’s upcoming sophomore album Joan, the yearning Have It All begins as a finger-picked acoustic-guitar roots ballad, but gradually and gracefully expands into a full-blown, widescreen pop-rock anthem powered by thundering drums, pulsing synths and Toner’s heart-rending, force-of-nature pipes.
With a sound, style and skill set like that, it’s no surprise to learn that the young New Brunswick native was surrounded by music, growing up under the influence of her grandmother and uncle’s musical tastes, which ran to John Prine, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and Dolly Parton. She was classically trained on the violin and spent many years with the prestigious New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, even playing Carnegie Hall. She continued on to study theatre in Toronto and spent 10 years in a successful acting career. Three productions she was part of have won Dora Awards. For seven seasons she was an integral part of the repertory cast at the Charlottetown Festival.
But then she returned to her first love: Songwriting. Alicia’s first release I Learned The Hard Way (2017) earned her much critical acclaim and a SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award for her song Back To Fine. She also had extensive radio play for her first single Waves.
It is her upcoming album, however, that really shows us who Alicia Toner is and what she is capable of. Joan is set to be released in June and marks the arrival of an artist you must pay attention to. Full of hooks, masterful vocals, compelling lyrics and top notch production, Joan is a collection of songs that demands your attention. Says Toner: “Joan was my way of self-titling an album. It is my middle name but one used by many members of my family and inner circle since I was born. Calling this album Joan felt appropriate as the songs on it are pieces of myself that not everyone gets to see. Until now.”
Check out Have It All above, hear more from Alicia Toner below, and keep up with her on her website, Facebook and Instagram.
