Tones And I’s classic comeback after Beverly Hills party snub
Dance Monkey hit maker Tones and I has revealed what really happens at Beverly Hills parties, proving that despite her international success, she’s a true Aussie “bogan” at heart.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australian pop juggernaut and self-described bogan Tones And I says she left a music industry party in Beverly Hills because nobody would talk to her.
But Tones, born Toni Watson, said the swanky invitation came after she refused to sing on a track by a US producer.
“I went to LA, and I’m not saying ‘I went to LA.’ That’s not how I’m saying it,” Watson said at her bushfire relief concert in Melbourne last night. “There were two earthquakes in two days and I was really happy to come back to Australia.”
Watson added: “While I was there, there was this producer and he said to me, ‘Hey Tones, I make beats, do you want to sing on my track?’ And I’m like, ‘No, I don’t want to sing on your track because in Australia we all make our own music, and we’re proud of that.
“And then he said to me, ‘OK, that’s fine, do you want to come to a party in Beverly Hills? And I said, S--- yes.
“So I took my friend Abbey. She’s from the UK, and she’s ratchet, and I’m a bogan,” Watson said. “We went to this party in Beverly Hills, and when we got there we realised no-one really wanted to talk to us, but it wasn’t us … no-one really talked to anyone.”
Watson’s description of the desperate LA party scene was poetic.
“Everyone was wearing really weird buckles on their pants that were super-unnecessary and didn’t do anything. After we tried to talk to people, and no-one spoke to us, a girl came up to me and said, ‘Hey I don’t know if you know me, but I’m on the TV show Teen Wolf.
“I was like, ‘I’ve never watched that show, but I am sure you are terrific!’”
At that point, Tones and Abs decided to leave.
“After no-one really spoke to us, we would get an Uber, go back to our hotel, order Uber Eats and watch Netflix. And that’s what we did. Aussie represent!” Watson said, holding a fist above her head, and laughing.
She wrote a new song, You’re So F---ing Cool, the next day.
The lyrics include: “No-one really wants to find a genuine connect, before they even look at you, they move on to the next’ and “Everyone’s so fake. I try to start a conversation, but I don’t seem to relate … because you’re way too f---ing cool.”
The Beverly Hills snub follows a surreal six months for Watson. Her debut single, Dance Monkey, topped charts worldwide, and broke sales and streaming records everywhere.
Before performing the mega-hit last night, Watson said: “I didn’t know this song would break the record for No. 1 song of all time in the whole world, so be proud Australia, because I am.”
But the road to success hasn’t been easy.
After a chart-topping triumph and winning four ARIA Awards late last year, Watson revealed she was “hiding a big black hole and is facing “death threats” and “relentless bullying.”
She went on Facebook to say her success came with “judgment and opinions,” and “every proud moment tears my mind in two.”
She posted: “People always say ‘Tones how does it feel, it must feel great, what are you feeling, you must be over the moon.
“It does and I don’t want to take anything away from my well deserved achievements and to my fans I love you unconditionally, but I have been hiding a big black hole for a while now, and feel if I hide it like most artists do, then how are we going to help the next generations of young artist to come.
“Truth is (and we have all seen it) with success comes judgment and opinions. This I was prepared for, it’s normal (which is sickening) but the relentless bullying that follows every proud moment tears my mind in two.
“I make music, I have chosen to follow my passion in life and stick to it until it stuck to me. I am a very open honest, caring, good person and in the dark times of death threats and very harsh judgments from strangers I have never met, I have decided to push past it and show any artist that you can get through it and maintain your sense of self.
She added: “Even though I don’t see an end in sight, this is how I will live my life now.
“I am Toni Watson, a female artist from Australia. I am going through the best and worst time of my life.
MORE NEWS
BILLY’S DAUGHTER REVEALS THE ONE LET-DOWN OF HIS JUNGLE STINT
DAISY’S GIRL TRIGGERED CHILDHOOD ABUSE DEMONS
FASHION CRITICAL’S SAVAGE TAKE ON GRAMMYS CELEBS
“And today I am OK. I love you and as always. we are in this together.”
The emotional post sparked strong support from her music industry peers, including Amy Shark, Clare Bowditch, Adrian Eagle, electro-pop act Peking Duk, rappers Hilltop Hoods, and DJ Izm from Bliss N Eso.