Bio

TONI ROWLAND – “Unfolding” at last! After months in the studio in Spain and working in South Africa on finishing her debut solo album, Toni Rowland makes her mark on the international music scene. With her album sales covering the globe from Brazil to Australia, South Africa to Norway (plus the US and UK) her unique sound of almost ‘classic rock’ is being heard. [b]YOU CAN ORDER THE ALBUM "UNFOLDING" ONLINE[link="http://www.grandpolarstore.com"][u][color="red"][b] HERE![/b][/color][/u][/link][/b] Toni Rowland has been in the music scene in South Africa for many years, performing with her band Mantis. At the beginning of 2007 she finally made the decision to go solo after not being able to settle on a band line up that suited her. It was at this time that her management approached the legendary Ken Hensley who immediately agreed to produce and perform on her debut album. The album was recorded, produced and mastered at eSacramento Studios in Alicante,Spain with Ken hand picking the musicians to work on the album. “It was an absolute honor to work with Ken, he really understood where I wanted to go and helped me finally find the sound I was looking for” says Toni. The album is a mixture of songs styles, ranging from pop-rock to classic rock, with some haunting lyrics and melodies such as on “9/11 Souls of All the People” and “3010”. “Indeed, Toni’s music is damn fine, the songs are all excellent and flow with passion” critiques Nicky Baldrian of Fireworks Magazine where Toni was featured in “Catz n Claws” and released the single off the album “I’ll be here Waiting” to the Fireworks compilation CD. The album title “Unfolding” is symbolic of Toni spreading her wings after leaving the relative security of the bands “nest”. Toni is currently working on her new music video “I’ll Be Here Waiting” [b]YOU CAN ORDER THE ALBUM "UNFOLDING" ONLINE[link="http://www.grandpolarstore.com"][u][color="red"][b] HERE![/b][/color][/u][/link][/b] QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS !!!! 1. Tell me how you got started in singing? I grew up with singing in the house. My mom used to be an opera singer & my dad a songwriter so music has pretty much always been a part of my life. In school our extended family used to get together over Xmas times, we always had someone play guitar to which we sang and harmonized. I also took part in singing competitions during my high school career and sang in the school choir. But it was the death of my hero, blues rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan that finally pushed me into the music scene. This happened when I was at university and I wrote my first song the day after he died. I continued writing music from then onwards, got my own band together and started performing in public on a regular basis. 2. Spiritually what motivates your song writing? I am a spiritually sensitive person and very aware of my environment. My songs reflect various timeframes in my life; moods and aspects of myself and others around me. I easily lock into a situation and connect with my own and other people’s feelings. These experiences inspire me in my song writing. I feel that people will be able to relate to the songs because the music is about everyday issues, some are love songs, others are rather turbulent, but there is definitely something for everybody. 3. Musically who are you inspired by? My favourite band has always been Fleetwood Mac. Great songs, great harmonies. I also love Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Sting and a South African artist by the name of Johnny Clegg (Le Zulu Blanc). I also enjoy “Pink” – I think, she rocks!!  And then there are the masters of song writing like Ken Hensley who has just been a constant inspiration and whose guidance has been invaluable to me. Once again – great songs, great harmonies. Ken speaks though both his lyrics and music. I am inspired by artists like that. But it does not necessarily even have to be rock music or the same language for that matter that I find inspirational. Music is a universal language. If one cannot reach the listener through the lyrics, the rhythm and instrumentation must speak to the listener. 4. What is your personal favourite song and why? Wow, that’s a difficult question to answer. I like various tracks for various reasons. Some songs tell stories, like the track “3010” (I love my sister Bronwyn’s harmonies on the track). Other songs are focused on expressing deep felt emotion and asking topical questions such as “Souls of all the people (9/11) and the song “Put your foot down”. I like this song because it calls for positive action and awareness in this selfish world we live in…and because Ken sang on it . But all in all I would have to go for “Souls of all the people (9/11)”. 5. How has the reaction been towards your music? I am happy to say that it has been very positive. I am curious to see what the reaction will be once the full CD is released because one or two of the tracks on the CD are quite different and have a slightly more pop feel to them. These tracks have not been heard by the broader public. I think there is something for everyone on this CD because the music has many different aspects to it and is quite diverse. 6. How did you get involved with Ken Hensley? About a year and a half ago my manager sent some of my material to Ken Hensley and Ken liked the songs and saw a lot of potential in it. He invited me to come and record my debut album with him in Spain. He assembled a team of top musicians and engineers to assist with the production of the album, so I was very fortunate. My sister Bronwyn, who wrote 2 of the tracks on the album, also joined us to sing backing vocals. It was a huge privilege working with Ken and I received invaluable guidance from him regarding my singing and song writing. 7. Where you in any bands before becoming a solo artist? After school I started my own band called Max but soon changed the name of the band to Mantis. I played in Mantis until I decided to go solo about a year and a half ago. Playing in a Mantis was a lot of fun and I gained a lot of experience through this. The band had many line-up changes through the years but my co-vocalist Kate Maloba stayed with me and is still my best friend today. Kate reinforced my love for harmony singing and I hope to use her in the near future as a co-vocalist again. 8. What’s next for you? I am in involved with a campaign known as “The Sole Of Africa” which is an initiative of the Mineseeker Foundation for the detection, removal of landmines and supporting the affected communities. I have just returned from in Mozambique as a part of the campaign and the experience really touched me deeply. It has given me a lot of food for thought and spiritual inspiration to write songs. I cannot wait to get back home to pick up my guitar. Also Ken has invited me to record my second album with him in the near future so I need to be fully focused. I am very thankful for everything that has been happening to me and I am just trying my best everyday to reach for the future in a positive frame of mind!