Check Out Tonina Saputo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonina Saputo.

Tonina is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, bassist and songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri who performs her original music along with her arrangements of covers in Spanish, English, and Italian.

Tonina comes from a family of musicians who exposed her to various music styles ranging from Funk, Soul, and Jazz to Classical, Folk and Rock. She was raised in St. Louis, coming from Black and Sicilian backgrounds. All these components have given her an unparalleled musical scope playing many genres yet making each her own. Her sense of rhythm, melody, extraordinary voice and song interpretation make her performances a thrilling experience for listeners.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music, earning two degrees, Tonina opened for Grammy-Award winning artist, Lalah Hathaway in St. Louis, traveled to perform at the Catania Jazz Festival in Sicily and was named one of NPR’s favorite new artists of 2018 and then listed as one of NPR’s top 10 artists of 2018. Her interpretation of “Historia de un Amor” was placed on former president Barack Obama’s top songs list of 2018. In 2019, she signed a distribution deal with American record label Empire. She performs with her band in Los Angeles and around the world.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have encountered several challenges on my journey, such as facing discrimination as a woman of color in the music industry and playing an instrument that has traditionally been associated with men. Additionally, I have had to terminate contracts with powerful record labels that were no longer aligned with my artistic vision. As an independently managed artist, I am proud to sing and compose music in multiple languages. Attaining artistic freedom is not easy.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am proud to write and perform in three languages: English, Sicilian, and Spanish. I am a band leader. I have toured three continents. I love writing about family, acts of protest, love, culture, etc.

I am inspired by folk traditions from around the world.

What matters most to you?
Authenticity and poeticism are crucial to my creative process. I strive to portray life in its truest form through my work, always remaining honest and genuine in my writing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iamtonina.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamtonina/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamtonina/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamtonina?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ph5nKSWzZe6lWtFeJOrgQ?view_as=subscriber
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@iamtonina

Image Credits
Left to right 1. Tiffany Sutton 2. Jessica Page 3. Gabrielle Gitlin 4. Me 5. Harry Boston 6. Robert Nunez 7. Sara De Tigre