Pigeon Spins Featuring an Interview with Toni Janke

Toni Janke - Cool Life

Toni Janke is a contemporary female singer/songwriter who lives in Magandjin (Brisbane), Australia. She is a celebrated First Nations artist and proud descendant of the Wuthathi, Yadhaigana, and Meriam peoples of Cape York and Murray Island. She has had a remarkable career spanning more than 35 years working in music, arts, and the First Nations space.

Interview with Toni Janke

Your new track has an upbeat rock energy. How did your personal experiences and First Nations heritage influence its sound and message?

I draw deeply on my personal experiences and my heritage as a First Nations singer/songwriter. However this new track is a bit different because it has a more universal message which I believe has broader appeal to audiences world-wide. I wanted to create something more upbeat with a contemporary indie rock feel. I think it’s important that First Nations artists are able to write and perform across all of the genres and that there is no one style or genre that defines us.

With a career spanning over 35 years, how has your approach to songwriting and performing evolved over time?

I love performing and writing songs. It is something that I feel very privileged to be able to do over the years, in many different ways and capacities. My approach has evolved as I have grown. My music reflects not only my own growth and challenges, but also the messages that I want to convey to audiences. This has changed over time as well. I think it’s important to stay relevant and to connect with audiences, especially new and younger audiences who have never heard any of my previous songs or albums.

You’ve worked across music, arts, and community leadership. How do these roles inform each other and inspire your creative projects?

Leadership is all about motivating and inspiring others. In the same way, I hope my music does this. I have been able to work in many different capacities advocating for First Nations artists, working with communities, schools, serving on Boards and Committees, facilitating workshops as well as performing with or alongside many talented musicians as festivals or events. Everything we do as artists is about leading others, directly or indirectly. Music, art and culture are such powerful platforms to share our voices as well as to inform and educate listeners.

Your upcoming play Inheritance explores your life and music. What aspects of your journey are you most excited to share with audiences?

My life has been filled with many gifts as well as challenges. Even the challenges turned out to be gifts! I am excited to share this journey with audiences in my play because Inheritance speaks about the gifts that we inherit and the legacy we leave behind for others. Music has been my gift. I have inherited it along with many other valuable things such as my identity, family, culture – things that I carry with pride, both as gift and responsibility. But I’m also excited to share the ups and downs of my own story, the personal challenges and how music and ancestry have always been my constant sources of inspiration and hope.

As a mentor and advocate for First Nations women in music, what advice would you give to emerging artists looking to carve their own path in the industry?

Keep going! Don’t stop or give up. You are exactly where you are meant to be. Keep writing, singing, and performing even when things get difficult or you want to throw it all away. Make your own mark in the industry. Be who you are and share your gifts generously with everyone; find other people to connect with who support your vision.

As a First Nations woman, it can be particularly challenging sometimes, but we have so much to say and share with the world. Be a voice, inspire others, use your gifts, reach out to others – when we empower each other, we empower ourselves, our communities and generations to come, just as those who have gone before us have done for us. For me, the whole purpose of life (and music!) is to find and claim our gifts by inheriting and passing them onto others with gratitude, love and joy.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out  Toni Janke on the Pigeon Spins Playlist