November 16, 2025 • 18 mins
oni may be new to The Voice stage, but her voice has captivated millions, most notably as the beloved Toni on "Cocomelon," where she recorded episodes and hundreds of songs from her closet-turned-studio. Raised in a musical home in Houston, she began performing at age 4 in church, dance recitals, and theater. Studying musical theater at the University of Texas in Austin led her to Los Angeles, where she interned in entertainment, recorded for Jordan Smith and launched her voiceover career. Beyond the studio, Toni wowed live audiences in burlesque-style revues, cruise ship residencies and vocal showcases, discovering the full range of her own artistry. With her family's unwavering support, she's ready to step fully into the spotlight on "The Voice," sharing not just the voice that has enchanted children and families worldwide, but the bold and versatile performer she's grown into.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I've always believed in one mantra, share your story or
someone will write it for you. And as we continue
to grow inside this podcast world, there's a lot of
stories we haven't dug into yet. Aro dot net, A R.
R Oe dot Net. Thank you so much for supporting
the vision as well as the path.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I give to you, my shaman for twenty minutes?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Did he show you his socks? Did he show you
his socks today? He's got peanut socks on right now.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I do.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I have Charlie Brown socks. That's such zing.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
That's such a radio thing. Man, all yours for twenty
How are you doing this morning?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I'm doing so well. I'm excited to just be here.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Well, boy, that's what it's all about, isn't you See
a lot of people think that creative souls and those
that bring music forward. You know that we're all tied
up and bundled up and thrown into corners and into
boxes in the attic. And the fact of the matter
is we're just so grateful to be in this moment of.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Now, absolutely absolutely so grateful to be here, so grateful
to have a void to be able to share with
the world.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So I can't complain what did you do in discovering
that voice? Because you know, I keep hearing over and
over again that it's not necessarily about talent, it's about
listening to the gift. What is your point of direction
on that?
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I I it's funny that you say that, because before
every performance, I say a little prayer, just looking for
people to be able to see the light within me
when they see me and hear me perform.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That is the key for me.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Staying positive, staying true to yourself, keeping a big, bright
smile on my face, that is.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
The real stuff for me. I think that that shows
the true artist.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
And I just want people to see me having a
good time and living my dreams because that's what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I'm having fun.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
And don't you think that what you're doing right now
is perfect for this generation in the way that it's
no longer about just tapping into a radio station to
play a favorite song, but rather we've got so many
visuals around us, so we have to be able to
read your body language with those lyrics.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I think that that's another reason why song choice on
a show like The Voice is so ridiculously important, you know,
because this is this is some people's first time getting
to see you or hear you, or take you in.
So I think it's extremely important because people need to
know that live performance live music.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Is still a thing. It still requires lots of hard
work and effort, but it can make the music experience
so much more enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Speaking of that music experience, the second that I saw
you in the blind ambitions and and the blind things,
the thing is is that I looked at my wife
and I said, I know this voice. I've heard this
voice somewhere before. I can't be the only one who
has heard your voice and said, oh no, no, no,
I know this voice. I've now, I've got to go
into chat, GPT or I've got to go onto Google,
and I got to figure out who, what, where, why,
(02:56):
when and how when it comes to this voice.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Chat tell you Chad's the one that told.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You, well it does.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
But see then then you sit there and you and
you go, Okay, now, is chat gonna tell me the
truth here? Because I don't. I don't want any dang
you know, some some sort of clickbait here. So I'm gonnay, okay,
I need to talk to her and let her share
with me the story because because what you've done with
your music, you take it to the people. You're on
a cruise ship. Wherever the people are, you're there, and that,
to me is the inspiration of what it's really all about.
(03:26):
And if you talk to the Temptations, to Van Halen,
to whoever, it doesn't matter. You're there and that's what counts.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Mm hmm. Absolutely, I think that's extremely important in during
this day and age.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I think it's it's it's so important for us to
have people need the opportunity to be able to truly
connect with the rest of the world. I'm connecting with
everyone else through my music. This is their way of
connecting to me and getting to see the real human
being inside of me. Yes, hearing like some voice, you know,
(04:01):
and they get the real met you know, on the
show that I that I Am, that I've worked on,
you know, people get to hear a different side of
my voice, but at its essence it's still very much
so Tony.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So now let me ask you this, then, Tony, when
it comes to being on that stage and Tony being
the person at home, is it two different levels of personality?
And if it is, do you do what I call defragging,
which is I bring the innercore of my creative spirit
into where I am presently and they have to get
along with each other, ask questions, make harmony in your
(04:36):
own mind, body, and soul before they get it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, that seems pretty accurate to me.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I think that the person that you see when I'm
performing is just the slightly more elevated version of who
I naturally am. Naturally, I'm usually pretty fun and vibrants.
I love to keep a smile on my face. I
like to keep positive energy usually with everyone. So when
(05:03):
I'm performing, it's just that times ten. It's like, I
want you to see me, feel me, hear me, and
feel good about it while you're watching it. I want
whatever it is that I'm doing, the energy that I'm
putting out for it to be received well and everyone
to love it.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
It's pretty accurate.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I just had a who vibration when you said see
me feel me. I'm thinking, Tommy, see me feel me.
You're so right about that, because if people would go
back and watch Tommy, they would realize there's an artist
in every one of us.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely, that's the essence of the voice.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
You know, been getting to hear you before they can
see who you are is what makes it one of
my favorite singing. You know, we get to hear people's voices.
It doesn't matter what you look like. You know, if
we enjoy watching you, that's just a bonus. And I'll
enjoy watching somebody if I can see that they're having
a good time. I'm doing what they're there to do.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Can you imagine being Snoop and the other judges in
the way that they cannot see you when you go
out there in the blind rounds because they have to
be able to not only invisibly see you, but they
have to feel you first. I mean that, to me
is the origin of what it's all about.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I'm honestly still a little in disbelief that when I
sang my plund audition song they heard something in my
voice that made them want.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
To turn around. So I guess my prayers have been
working because they heard something. They heard my light? Did
you hear? And it's been keeping me going strong for
a minute now?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So did you ask God? Did you say?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
What did they hear that I did not? And maybe
you can teach me how to get back there.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It's the light, you know, I strictly ask for the
light to shine and for everyone else to see what
it is that God has instilled in me. That's what
I ask for every time before I walk out onto
that stage.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
What a place to put yourself in, because when it
comes to that light, so many people are afraid of
that light, but you, you seem to be drawn to it.
And that right there is very inspirational and empowering.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Oh yeah, because I know that that's what keeps me
going as far as I am right now.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And that's what.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I would hope that that would inspire others, you know,
to go after whatever it is in life that they
see fit for themselves, whatever they're passionate about, whatever they
love to do. I think that that is what really
keeps you pushing and moving. And you know, you can't
grow without things even being a little scary sometimes.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So I just try not to shy away from it.
I try to step into it and fully embrace it
and just be all in because why.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Not, you know, please do not move.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
There's more with Tony Loreene coming up next. She's on
the season's NBC is the Voice. You're back with Tony Loreen.
We got to talk about your studio because your first
one was built in a closet. I once worked for
a radio station that put a production room for me
in a closet, and you know, that is probably one
of the greatest places ever for creativity because you are
(08:16):
locked away from the world and you're in that zone
of light, as you would call it, because you're there
to receive and what comes out is like okay. I
had to trust it, and that closet gave me that space.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Yes, yes, Minia, Minia hours in that closet, even just
recording to the point where I've sang myself to sleep
because I'm just so comfortable zone.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So did any animals in your household come in there?
Because Jazzy loves to come in this in this studio.
She loves coming in here. I don't know what the
energy is. I don't know if it's because she hears
me talking. I don't know that she goes Let me
talk to him. Let me tell them what it's really
like to be a radio guy talking to musicians.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Dudem I actually had an old, old uppy who passed
away a few years ago, but he would be He
wasn't always allowed in the closet.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
You would hear me in there and doing my thing.
He wants to be in.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
There with me, but his little collar sometimes his little chains,
the noises that he likes to he's just too He
can't help but make noise and make sound if I'm
not paying attention to him. So as much as I
would love for him to be in there with me,
it couldn't happen all the time. Well.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
See, that's one of the things that I because I'm
so addicted to watching old Johnny Carson episodes on we TV.
And the reason why is because he made a lot
of mistakes. We just didn't talk about it. So I
sit there and I'll watch him each night make those
and it's like, wait a second, he invited us into
his world where where he trips, stumbles, makes fun of himself,
and I don't want to learn from that. Yeah, So
(09:47):
when you have the jingling from the dog's necklace and
stuff like that, I'm going, that's my texture, that's my signature.
And so do how do you deal with that? When
you go into the studio where you go on live
stage where where all of a sudden it's not going
the way you wanted to, but you got to bring
it forward.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Look, you just roll with the punches, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I every thought always perfect, and it doesn't always go
exactly the way that we want.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
But since we are human beings, we.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Are also allowed and free to adjust as necessary and
trust in our audience that they will continue to stick
with us and understand that we are all still human
and things can happen.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
So you have to just stay present, stay in the moment,
and it's okay, It's okay.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I you know, I got into the habit of you know,
on cruise ships it can get a little rocky, and
I'm wearing heels on stage and oftentimes I'll be tripping around,
stumbling over my feet. Sometimes my guitar player would have
to hold his arm out to catch me, just in
case the ship the wrong way and I'm falling. And
all of this is happening right in front of an
(10:48):
audience who's laughing, and I'm laughing with them at myself.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
So when I am with people like that that are
moving around in every direction, that it's not that I'm
using the martial arts to protect me. I'm using it
to keep my balance. Will sit there and move my
body in ways because I know that being trained it
was like, Okay, if you go this way, you're not
gonna fall flat on your face.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
But but yeah, I mean because.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
You've got to learn how to move around other people's
energy because they're in their own zone too.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yes, yes, leave space for everyone everyone around you. There's
always always need to leave a little bit of space
for the.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
People studying music theater.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
That means when when I read that about you, I'm
gonna no wonder I'm connecting, connecting with her voice on
this because she understands those aren't just words. That's a story.
That is something that I am going to plant in
someone's heart.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
That is something that I've actually been kind of not
only preaching to myself, but to all of my peers
throughout this process, is that it's it is a story.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
You were telling a story.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
That's a little piece that I bring to every single
song when I get a new song.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
For the show and I'm rehearsing it.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Sometimes a few times throughout this process there have been
a moment or two where I felt a little disconnected
from the song and it just doesn't even feel right
or comfortable to perform it, and I have to take
myself back to my old musical theater college days where
we song alog it, which is basically, you take a
monologue or you take a song and you turn.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Into a monologue.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You speak it as though you're telling that story or
having that conversation. When you put the song into those like,
when you put it into that point of view, it
makes it a lot easier to connect, to relate to others,
to tell the story.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
It just helps you. It's your friends. It is a
tool that you can use to connect with everyone and
keep them engaged and stay engaged yourself and what it
is that you're doing.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
See.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I love that because I call that breaking down the lyrics,
because if you take the time to really go in
there and look at the lyrics of a song and
then see how it incorporates into your own personal life.
I see that's as a radio jock, I would do
that and I would say, hey, by the way, three
quarters of the way through this song, going to sing
about this, tell me what you think and what you
felt in that moment when she hits this area, and
(13:05):
all of a sudden, the listeners engaged. They're going, oh
my god, I never even thought about listening to that
in this part of the song.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Yes, and that's such a huge part of the work.
You know, that's such a huge part of the work
that artists do. I think some of our favorite artists,
classic artists from back in the day are some of
the greatest storytellers that we've ever seen or heard.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
You know, it's such an important part to music.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And that's another thing that makes this live performance such
a big deal is being able to actually connect. You know,
music is written about anything, and music is what we feel,
so you should be able to relate to it and
relate it to others well.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Dolly Partner says that music is the local newspaper. Do
you find yourself in that situation as well?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I agree, because you know what, it's almost impossible to
not for me personally to not find a connection to
every song that it is that I'm singing.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
So I get caught up in a little too much sometimes.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
You know, it makes me a little too emotional at
times where I got to get control of myself again.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
But I think that's okay. Wo men's live in this
human experience and we're going to tell it through our music.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
It's so inspiring.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Did you come from that music theater, you perform on
a cruise ship, and you've done something that really because
when I read about Bett Middler years ago about being
part of the of the Bathhouses performances and even Perry
Mannell got involved in that, and then to find out
that you performed in burlesque style reviews, I'm going, this
is why she is where she is. She totally understands
(14:41):
that we are everywhere in life and all she wants
to do is to become a seed in it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Absolutely, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes yes. Every opportunity that
I have had leading up to being on the Voice
has linked itself to this opportunity. I absolutely believe that
every experience that I've had, I wouldn't have been anywhere
near as successful had I not already gone through it
and lived that part of life, because it advises every
(15:11):
next step that I take. I take every little experience
with me and put a little bit of that in
every performance that I get.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So then what is it like for you though that
when when you when you grow up in a church
singing gospel music, and then and then you're hanging out
with Snoop Dogg who's got his vision of music. How
do you collaborate the two different sounds to make Tony,
to make Tony happen, to make Tony present.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
You know, I think that it is Well, first, I'm
from Houston.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Texas, and I rereads the best of them, and I
got a little bit of that in me, you know,
with with growing up in church, I think it instilled
a lot of that soul in music and what you feel.
I think that essence of allowing you to feel through
music is really room in church for me personally. But
(16:03):
then you know, we got some other sides. It's Uncle Snoop. Okay,
we doesn't want to hang out with Uncle Snoop beyond
Team Snoop.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know, that's a really cool thing to do. And
I think I'm a pretty.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Lively person, So I think if it's just like a
perfect fit for me because that's like a little mix
of everything that is my personality. Just like as vocalists,
we got a little musical theater, so a little jazz,
has a little.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
R and B, little soul, a little pop.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
You get a little bit of everything, and that that's
been my experience.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Well, do you ever want to just go back to
the days of the seventies, eighties and nineties where they
were so caught up and you know, and being part
of a genre. It's almost like what you just said,
Tony was relax, Go try every genre. Go learn something
new today so that you can bring it to your
present place rather than trying to be Bob Dylan. Let
Bob be Bob himself.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I was just talking to
someone the other day about Queen.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yes amazing.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
They were at you know, not really staying in one
lane as far as the genre, and that helps other
people that not be into that particular genre that they're
known for be able to fall in love with their
music in just the same way. You know, you hear
it and you connect to it, you feel it, It
feels good, It makes you feel good, makes you want
to dance.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
How do you not love it?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Where can people go to find out more about you, Tony?
Because I want them to have the real Tony experience
and grow with you and put you on Spotify and
iHeartRadio so that when they go to those those those platforms,
they know that you're going to be right there with them.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Well, you can follow me on Instagram or TikTok, and
you can also find me on Facebook. My handles are
at I am Tony t O N I Loreene l
O R E N E. Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You got to come back to this show anytime in
the future. The door is always going to be open
for you.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Absolutely, absolutely, Hopefully I'm back when I've got some new music.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Will you be brilliant today? Okay, Tony, thank you you
as well.
I've always believed in one mantra, share your story or
someone will write it for you. And as we continue
to grow inside this podcast world, there's a lot of
stories we haven't dug into yet. Aro dot net, A R.
R Oe dot Net. Thank you so much for supporting
the vision as well as the path.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I give to you, my shaman for twenty minutes?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Did he show you his socks? Did he show you
his socks today? He's got peanut socks on right now.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I do.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I have Charlie Brown socks. That's such zing.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
That's such a radio thing. Man, all yours for twenty
How are you doing this morning?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I'm doing so well. I'm excited to just be here.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Well, boy, that's what it's all about, isn't you See
a lot of people think that creative souls and those
that bring music forward. You know that we're all tied
up and bundled up and thrown into corners and into
boxes in the attic. And the fact of the matter
is we're just so grateful to be in this moment of.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Now, absolutely absolutely so grateful to be here, so grateful
to have a void to be able to share with
the world.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So I can't complain what did you do in discovering
that voice? Because you know, I keep hearing over and
over again that it's not necessarily about talent, it's about
listening to the gift. What is your point of direction
on that?
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I I it's funny that you say that, because before
every performance, I say a little prayer, just looking for
people to be able to see the light within me
when they see me and hear me perform.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That is the key for me.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Staying positive, staying true to yourself, keeping a big, bright
smile on my face, that is.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
The real stuff for me. I think that that shows
the true artist.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
And I just want people to see me having a
good time and living my dreams because that's what I'm doing.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
I'm having fun.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
And don't you think that what you're doing right now
is perfect for this generation in the way that it's
no longer about just tapping into a radio station to
play a favorite song, but rather we've got so many
visuals around us, so we have to be able to
read your body language with those lyrics.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
I think that that's another reason why song choice on
a show like The Voice is so ridiculously important, you know,
because this is this is some people's first time getting
to see you or hear you, or take you in.
So I think it's extremely important because people need to
know that live performance live music.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Is still a thing. It still requires lots of hard
work and effort, but it can make the music experience
so much more enjoyable.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Speaking of that music experience, the second that I saw
you in the blind ambitions and and the blind things,
the thing is is that I looked at my wife
and I said, I know this voice. I've heard this
voice somewhere before. I can't be the only one who
has heard your voice and said, oh no, no, no,
I know this voice. I've now, I've got to go
into chat, GPT or I've got to go onto Google,
and I got to figure out who, what, where, why,
(02:56):
when and how when it comes to this voice.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Chat tell you Chad's the one that told.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You, well it does.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
But see then then you sit there and you and
you go, Okay, now, is chat gonna tell me the
truth here? Because I don't. I don't want any dang
you know, some some sort of clickbait here. So I'm gonnay, okay,
I need to talk to her and let her share
with me the story because because what you've done with
your music, you take it to the people. You're on
a cruise ship. Wherever the people are, you're there, and that,
to me is the inspiration of what it's really all about.
(03:26):
And if you talk to the Temptations, to Van Halen,
to whoever, it doesn't matter. You're there and that's what counts.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Mm hmm. Absolutely, I think that's extremely important in during
this day and age.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I think it's it's it's so important for us to
have people need the opportunity to be able to truly
connect with the rest of the world. I'm connecting with
everyone else through my music. This is their way of
connecting to me and getting to see the real human
being inside of me. Yes, hearing like some voice, you know,
(04:01):
and they get the real met you know, on the
show that I that I Am, that I've worked on,
you know, people get to hear a different side of
my voice, but at its essence it's still very much
so Tony.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So now let me ask you this, then, Tony, when
it comes to being on that stage and Tony being
the person at home, is it two different levels of personality?
And if it is, do you do what I call defragging,
which is I bring the innercore of my creative spirit
into where I am presently and they have to get
along with each other, ask questions, make harmony in your
(04:36):
own mind, body, and soul before they get it.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, that seems pretty accurate to me.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
I think that the person that you see when I'm
performing is just the slightly more elevated version of who
I naturally am. Naturally, I'm usually pretty fun and vibrants.
I love to keep a smile on my face. I
like to keep positive energy usually with everyone. So when
(05:03):
I'm performing, it's just that times ten. It's like, I
want you to see me, feel me, hear me, and
feel good about it while you're watching it. I want
whatever it is that I'm doing, the energy that I'm
putting out for it to be received well and everyone
to love it.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
It's pretty accurate.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I just had a who vibration when you said see
me feel me. I'm thinking, Tommy, see me feel me.
You're so right about that, because if people would go
back and watch Tommy, they would realize there's an artist
in every one of us.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Absolutely, that's the essence of the voice.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
You know, been getting to hear you before they can
see who you are is what makes it one of
my favorite singing. You know, we get to hear people's voices.
It doesn't matter what you look like. You know, if
we enjoy watching you, that's just a bonus. And I'll
enjoy watching somebody if I can see that they're having
a good time. I'm doing what they're there to do.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Can you imagine being Snoop and the other judges in
the way that they cannot see you when you go
out there in the blind rounds because they have to
be able to not only invisibly see you, but they
have to feel you first. I mean that, to me
is the origin of what it's all about.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I'm honestly still a little in disbelief that when I
sang my plund audition song they heard something in my
voice that made them want.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
To turn around. So I guess my prayers have been
working because they heard something. They heard my light? Did
you hear? And it's been keeping me going strong for
a minute now?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
So did you ask God? Did you say?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
What did they hear that I did not? And maybe
you can teach me how to get back there.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
It's the light, you know, I strictly ask for the
light to shine and for everyone else to see what
it is that God has instilled in me. That's what
I ask for every time before I walk out onto
that stage.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
What a place to put yourself in, because when it
comes to that light, so many people are afraid of
that light, but you, you seem to be drawn to it.
And that right there is very inspirational and empowering.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Oh yeah, because I know that that's what keeps me
going as far as I am right now.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And that's what.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I would hope that that would inspire others, you know,
to go after whatever it is in life that they
see fit for themselves, whatever they're passionate about, whatever they
love to do. I think that that is what really
keeps you pushing and moving. And you know, you can't
grow without things even being a little scary sometimes.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
So I just try not to shy away from it.
I try to step into it and fully embrace it
and just be all in because why.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Not, you know, please do not move.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
There's more with Tony Loreene coming up next. She's on
the season's NBC is the Voice. You're back with Tony Loreen.
We got to talk about your studio because your first
one was built in a closet. I once worked for
a radio station that put a production room for me
in a closet, and you know, that is probably one
of the greatest places ever for creativity because you are
(08:16):
locked away from the world and you're in that zone
of light, as you would call it, because you're there
to receive and what comes out is like okay. I
had to trust it, and that closet gave me that space.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Yes, yes, Minia, Minia hours in that closet, even just
recording to the point where I've sang myself to sleep
because I'm just so comfortable zone.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
So did any animals in your household come in there?
Because Jazzy loves to come in this in this studio.
She loves coming in here. I don't know what the
energy is. I don't know if it's because she hears
me talking. I don't know that she goes Let me
talk to him. Let me tell them what it's really
like to be a radio guy talking to musicians.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Dudem I actually had an old, old uppy who passed
away a few years ago, but he would be He
wasn't always allowed in the closet.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
You would hear me in there and doing my thing.
He wants to be in.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
There with me, but his little collar sometimes his little chains,
the noises that he likes to he's just too He
can't help but make noise and make sound if I'm
not paying attention to him. So as much as I
would love for him to be in there with me,
it couldn't happen all the time. Well.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
See, that's one of the things that I because I'm
so addicted to watching old Johnny Carson episodes on we TV.
And the reason why is because he made a lot
of mistakes. We just didn't talk about it. So I
sit there and I'll watch him each night make those
and it's like, wait a second, he invited us into
his world where where he trips, stumbles, makes fun of himself,
and I don't want to learn from that. Yeah, So
(09:47):
when you have the jingling from the dog's necklace and
stuff like that, I'm going, that's my texture, that's my signature.
And so do how do you deal with that? When
you go into the studio where you go on live
stage where where all of a sudden it's not going
the way you wanted to, but you got to bring
it forward.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Look, you just roll with the punches, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
I every thought always perfect, and it doesn't always go
exactly the way that we want.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
But since we are human beings, we.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Are also allowed and free to adjust as necessary and
trust in our audience that they will continue to stick
with us and understand that we are all still human
and things can happen.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
So you have to just stay present, stay in the moment,
and it's okay, It's okay.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I you know, I got into the habit of you know,
on cruise ships it can get a little rocky, and
I'm wearing heels on stage and oftentimes I'll be tripping around,
stumbling over my feet. Sometimes my guitar player would have
to hold his arm out to catch me, just in
case the ship the wrong way and I'm falling. And
all of this is happening right in front of an
(10:48):
audience who's laughing, and I'm laughing with them at myself.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
So when I am with people like that that are
moving around in every direction, that it's not that I'm
using the martial arts to protect me. I'm using it
to keep my balance. Will sit there and move my
body in ways because I know that being trained it
was like, Okay, if you go this way, you're not
gonna fall flat on your face.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
But but yeah, I mean because.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
You've got to learn how to move around other people's
energy because they're in their own zone too.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yes, yes, leave space for everyone everyone around you. There's
always always need to leave a little bit of space
for the.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
People studying music theater.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
That means when when I read that about you, I'm
gonna no wonder I'm connecting, connecting with her voice on
this because she understands those aren't just words. That's a story.
That is something that I am going to plant in
someone's heart.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
That is something that I've actually been kind of not
only preaching to myself, but to all of my peers
throughout this process, is that it's it is a story.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
You were telling a story.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
That's a little piece that I bring to every single
song when I get a new song.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
For the show and I'm rehearsing it.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Sometimes a few times throughout this process there have been
a moment or two where I felt a little disconnected
from the song and it just doesn't even feel right
or comfortable to perform it, and I have to take
myself back to my old musical theater college days where
we song alog it, which is basically, you take a
monologue or you take a song and you turn.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Into a monologue.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
You speak it as though you're telling that story or
having that conversation. When you put the song into those like,
when you put it into that point of view, it
makes it a lot easier to connect, to relate to others,
to tell the story.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
It just helps you. It's your friends. It is a
tool that you can use to connect with everyone and
keep them engaged and stay engaged yourself and what it
is that you're doing.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
See.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I love that because I call that breaking down the lyrics,
because if you take the time to really go in
there and look at the lyrics of a song and
then see how it incorporates into your own personal life.
I see that's as a radio jock, I would do
that and I would say, hey, by the way, three
quarters of the way through this song, going to sing
about this, tell me what you think and what you
felt in that moment when she hits this area, and
(13:05):
all of a sudden, the listeners engaged. They're going, oh
my god, I never even thought about listening to that
in this part of the song.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Yes, and that's such a huge part of the work.
You know, that's such a huge part of the work
that artists do. I think some of our favorite artists,
classic artists from back in the day are some of
the greatest storytellers that we've ever seen or heard.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
You know, it's such an important part to music.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And that's another thing that makes this live performance such
a big deal is being able to actually connect. You know,
music is written about anything, and music is what we feel,
so you should be able to relate to it and
relate it to others well.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Dolly Partner says that music is the local newspaper. Do
you find yourself in that situation as well?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Absolutely?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I agree, because you know what, it's almost impossible to
not for me personally to not find a connection to
every song that it is that I'm singing.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
So I get caught up in a little too much sometimes.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
You know, it makes me a little too emotional at
times where I got to get control of myself again.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
But I think that's okay. Wo men's live in this
human experience and we're going to tell it through our music.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
It's so inspiring.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Did you come from that music theater, you perform on
a cruise ship, and you've done something that really because
when I read about Bett Middler years ago about being
part of the of the Bathhouses performances and even Perry
Mannell got involved in that, and then to find out
that you performed in burlesque style reviews, I'm going, this
is why she is where she is. She totally understands
(14:41):
that we are everywhere in life and all she wants
to do is to become a seed in it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Absolutely, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes yes. Every opportunity that
I have had leading up to being on the Voice
has linked itself to this opportunity. I absolutely believe that
every experience that I've had, I wouldn't have been anywhere
near as successful had I not already gone through it
and lived that part of life, because it advises every
(15:11):
next step that I take. I take every little experience
with me and put a little bit of that in
every performance that I get.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So then what is it like for you though that
when when you when you grow up in a church
singing gospel music, and then and then you're hanging out
with Snoop Dogg who's got his vision of music. How
do you collaborate the two different sounds to make Tony,
to make Tony happen, to make Tony present.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
You know, I think that it is Well, first, I'm
from Houston.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Texas, and I rereads the best of them, and I
got a little bit of that in me, you know,
with with growing up in church, I think it instilled
a lot of that soul in music and what you feel.
I think that essence of allowing you to feel through
music is really room in church for me personally. But
(16:03):
then you know, we got some other sides. It's Uncle Snoop. Okay,
we doesn't want to hang out with Uncle Snoop beyond
Team Snoop.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know, that's a really cool thing to do. And
I think I'm a pretty.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Lively person, So I think if it's just like a
perfect fit for me because that's like a little mix
of everything that is my personality. Just like as vocalists,
we got a little musical theater, so a little jazz,
has a little.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
R and B, little soul, a little pop.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
You get a little bit of everything, and that that's
been my experience.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Well, do you ever want to just go back to
the days of the seventies, eighties and nineties where they
were so caught up and you know, and being part
of a genre. It's almost like what you just said,
Tony was relax, Go try every genre. Go learn something
new today so that you can bring it to your
present place rather than trying to be Bob Dylan. Let
Bob be Bob himself.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I was just talking to
someone the other day about Queen.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yes amazing.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
They were at you know, not really staying in one
lane as far as the genre, and that helps other
people that not be into that particular genre that they're
known for be able to fall in love with their
music in just the same way. You know, you hear
it and you connect to it, you feel it, It
feels good, It makes you feel good, makes you want
to dance.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
How do you not love it?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Where can people go to find out more about you, Tony?
Because I want them to have the real Tony experience
and grow with you and put you on Spotify and
iHeartRadio so that when they go to those those those platforms,
they know that you're going to be right there with them.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Well, you can follow me on Instagram or TikTok, and
you can also find me on Facebook. My handles are
at I am Tony t O N I Loreene l
O R E N E. Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You got to come back to this show anytime in
the future. The door is always going to be open
for you.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Absolutely, absolutely, Hopefully I'm back when I've got some new music.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
Will you be brilliant today? Okay, Tony, thank you you
as well.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.