Toni D. Mellow

In October 2006 we were all standing in the corner of one of Fitzroy's most popular watering holes, The Empress Hotel; a heritage establishment for countless Melbourne artist's. A shy young woman with wild blonde hair, ripped stockings, army boots and a long black dress nervously graced the stage holding a beautifully worn Cole Clark acoustic guitar. My friends prepared themselves for an angsty serve of Difranco flavoured girl power tunes full of bitter resentment and harsh attacking vocals, but as soon as Toni opened her mouth I could see the mouths drop around me, because it was not girl grunge which emerged, but the sweet haunting sound of country blues from the deep American south. We could have been listening to Memphis Mini star crossed with Gillian Welch, and there wasn't anything strictly blues or folk about it, it was traditional, yet alternative, and most importantly, utterly heartbreaking, whether she was playing a Nina Simone song or one of her own, her voice wept into the microphone.

Toni has a distinct voice, timeless, often bringing grown men to tears. As with most authentic artists who are troubled souls, Toni sings from her gut and not only means every damn word she spills from her mouth, but feels and lives it. Toni has an effect on people, and draws people in with her eyes, her passion and most importantly, her voice. A voice that you will often mistake for Janis Joplin when she wails, a voice that is ready to shatter and break glass but also able to lull the hardest heart. Listening to Toni d. Mellow it's hard to believe that she's only 24 years of age, but then again, this was a girl who was winning over judges and musicians at the age of 16. Toni has played with the likes of Clare Bowditch, Jen Cloher, Renee Geyer, Mia Dyson, Ember Swift, and Serena Ryder to name a few and she has received praise and support among fellow musicians. Maybe Toni is an old soul, haunted and beautiful, but whatever the magic is that she possesses, the artist lives within her blood and she wants nothing more than to express her laments. Toni is also a very talented artist and has been producing striking charcoal and oil pieces for many years now. She is currently piecing together her long awaited album and is in search of management and new shows to play. One thing is for sure, this talented young lady deserves to be noticed. - J. Byron