Artist of the Day | TONIA EVANS CIANCIULLI
ARTIST OF THE DAY
08.11.2021
TONIA EVANS CIANCIULLI
LOCATION
Toronto, ON, Canada
GENRE
Classical Crossover
CURRENT MEMBERS
Tonia Evans Cianciulli
With the current pandemic, the state of the music and touring industry has dramatically changed. Where were you when everything was brought to a halt?
I was actually in Miami with my family, we’ve been homeschooling for seven years. Not much change for us as a family as we already knew the homeschool drill. What was incredibly challenging was the fact that entire year of concerts, book signings and other events were all canceled. It’s been a grieving process for many artists that I speak with, including myself. I believe that as artists we are gifted with the ability to pivot and create new and poignant art in the face of drastic and unexpected change. It’s our job to help the rest of the world process and to mark historical events.
How has that affected your plans for the coming year? Did you have a tour planned, upcoming album release?
I had been doing book signings and concert tours throughout 2019 after the publishing of my book, The Heart’s Obsession - An Intimate Biography of Newfoundland Songstress Georgina Stirling (publisher Flanker Press, and the release of two companion albums with the label Citadel House. During the first week of January I found out that our book was awarded a Canada Book Award and then I had a strange sinking feeling because I couldn’t visualize the rest of the year like I normally can when I am writing my New Year’s goals and visions. Call it my heart’s intuition but it’s like deep down inside I knew this would not be a typical year.
What have you been doing to fill/make the most of your new-found free time at home? How are you supporting your mental health through all of this?
At first, I fell into a deep slump and then realized I couldn’t sustain that. I was grateful to be able to go into the recording studio with my producer, Dima Graziani, where I recorded two albums worth of content throughout 2020.
It saved my spirit. One album is this current album of Hymns and the other album will follow in 2022, all original music that I have written about my Newfoundland roots and other personal/deep experiences. I’ve always supported other artists over the years with artist courses and inspiring interviews. I started a new series on Instagram live in 2018 called, Heart to H-Art (@myheartsobsession)
I featured artists such as Eric Alper, my publicist, singer Bif Naked, Author Jeff Brown, opera singer Miriam Khalil, actor Scott Cavalheiro, singer Pandora Topp, etc.
It’s brought myself and other artists a great deal of support and encouragement in these uncertain times. We all need to stick together, rally together, instead of being each others competition.
As things are reopening & restrictions are lifting have you booked any new gigs? Tours? Etc? If your region is still under restriction, how are dealing with the Covid third wave?
I will definitely be booking concerts in 2022 as I gear up to release the second album. I’ll mainly be focussing on Newfoundland and Ontario. Regardless of lockdowns and restrictions, it’s an emotionally heavy time because I believe we are all struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel with all these rolling waves of lockdowns and variants. Some of the things that I’ve personally helped me a great deal our long walks in nature with trusted friends, journaling, reading self development books, I’ve even decided to go back to school and get my masters in psychology on the side. You never know what the future brings and I am always open hearted about new opportunities for growth while pursuing my artistic endeavours.
Do you have a message for everyone at home reading this?
Just keep hanging on, the world needs you more than you know. You are so very special to so many. No matter how hard things get we always have the ability to be a blessing in someone else’s life and I find this is one of the sure ways to park your own spirits up. Especially artists, the world needs your art and your heart more than ever!
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