Thoni, like many others in the music industry, got his start in the Church.  Born, Anthony Baynes, the talented artiste began experimenting with various instruments at the tender age of 12; drums being his favorite. It wasn’t until he graduated High School that he really began to harness his talents for singing and writing music.  It was at that point that Thoni, as he is now popularly known, decided to publicly share his first song called “Make it rain”.  The song was well-received by local and international audiences and made Thoni more confident about his talent. To date, he has released many songs that have received both local and international recognition making Thoni a sought-after performer at R&B and Hip Hop Shows and popular bars in Guyana.

Inspired by the likes of Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, and Jay-Z; the young artiste was always passionate about writing and recording music. He explained that growing up in a small depressed community, he would constantly be confronted by societal ills such as racism and crime. Thoni stated that music was his only escape as he watched many of his childhood friends die or become part of the crime syndicates that dominated his community.  As a result, Thoni’s music can be characterized by his unabashed expressions of emotions. He writes and records music that expresses in a real and relatable manner the emotions that he is feeling; tapping into his childhood experiences to bring the pain and joy of what he describes as ghetto living.

Again, he alluded to his impoverished upbringing when asked to speak of the challenges he faced as a musician so far. He told of the difficulties he encountered trying to fund his recordings. This did not defeat the determined young man for he went on to purchase his first mic, and has to date opened a mini studio which he uses to assist other struggling artistes with recording. In addition to not being able to finance his recordings, Thoni also faced the issue of genre recognition. Guyana’s highly Caribbean influenced culture has little avenues for R&B and Hip Hop artistes. This poses a problem as Thoni attempts to monetize his craft and assist others within his genre to do the same.

1. Make It Rain Thoni Official Music Video undefined 0:45

2. Thoni Lanez - Nobody (Official Lyric Video) undefined 0:45

3. BE OK - Thoni (Official Video) Prod by cobra undefined 0:45

4. Molly's World - Thoni x J Matthew x Haze (Official Music Video) undefined 0:45

5. Thoni Selfish 0:47

6. Thoni ft C Rich Love No More (Official Audio) 0:45

Thoni, a 20-year-old self-described homebody, said that when he is not making music, he prefers to spend time at home with his dogs or taking long walks with family and friends.  He is commonly referred to as “Grandpa” for his anti-social tendencies.  He is also an advocate for self-care and spends a lot of time at the gym taking care of his physical wellbeing.  To him, family is important, and by many he’s labeled the funniest in his family as he would constantly entertain others by cracking jokes. He told the Hub that one of his most prized achievements was becoming the first of his family to graduate from University.

Thoni also stated he has big plans for his music career in the near future but his primary goal is to ensure that his music reaches as wide an audience as possible. He closed the interview by advising prospective artistes to remain patient. He warned that many artistes especially those in his genre would switch to the locally more popular soca and dancehall to enjoy their 15 minutes of fame but would, in turn, hurt their careers in the long run. His advice was to “stick to your guns and be patient, the road to success is not paved but with enough drive and ambition, you will get there.”

Caribbean Entertainment Hub wishes Thoni continued success on his journey and is looking forward to more from the talented artiste in the near future.

More of Thoni’s music can be accessed via his YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyvSYQbO0mpRDpG5-FRyag

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