Tonina Saputo is engaged in a powerful duet anytime she is on stage. Each pluck of her bass is perfectly and harmoniously synced with each note that emits from her vocal cords.
She can sing in cursive and belt out in soulful ballads.
“The energy from the crowd and the audience really does feed me and reminds me that I’m doing something semi-right,” Saputo said. “And a reminder that I’m where I’m supposed to be in that moment.”
The St. Louis artist strives to create music that transcends labels and categories and activates personal exploration.
“I want them to fall in love with a new genre, because I think oftentimes Americans are scared of the other – whatever that is,” Saputo said. “I want them to figure out something new about themselves when they listen to me and feel inspired.”
She started her musical journey early – at 8 years old. Her third-grade class allowed them to pick out their own instruments, and she chose the largest piece of wood in the room, the standing bass.
“Yeah, we’ve been together for like 17 years now,” Saputo said of her beloved instrument.
She didn’t officially start playing in a band until three years ago, but Saputo had ample experience playing as a collective when she went to Berklee College. While there, she was a musical contributor within in all sorts of musical ensembles.
“It’s the best feeling when I’m with my friends up there and we’re creating new and different every single time,” Saputo said.
Her passion for the city that has been her home base continues to resonate within her music – particularly evident in her latest album “St. Lost,” which Saputo declares the favorite among her releases.
“I knew that it was going to be a special place to me throughout my life,” Saputo said. “I lived there and met some of my best friends there.”
She was born in San Diego, California but raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She lived in Spain for a year in college and goes back every year. She has a huge fan base in Mexico, Argentina and Spain.
“St. Lost,” is a euphoric listing inspired by her life – a sonic autobiography of sorts.
“St. Lost is a compilation of songs that I’ve written in the places that I call home,” Saputo said. “I pay homage to those places in my songwriting.”
Songwriting for Saputo is a process that usually starts with the lyrics and a tune that she’ll jot down or record immediately as it comes to mind. Her saxophonist, David Gomez, is a collaborator and helps write songs with her occasionally.
“Sometimes I’ll be in the middle of a sentence and then I hear a melody and I have to literally leave a situation awkwardly and sing into my voice memos or get a guitar and play it,” Saputo said.
“Papaya” was the first tune the pair wrote after she signed to the Empire label last year. The song was composed mid-air during the two hours they spent on a plane headed to San Francisco, where “Papaya” was recorded. The Spanish tune is spunky with a salsa vibe – then shifts gears to a melodious rhythm blended with Afro-beat undertones that further lend to the song giving the vibe of a musical cultural melting pot.
“It was my favorite studio session ever because it was a professional studio with food, drinks and Netflix,” Saputo said. “It was crazy. Something that we’ve never experienced, but it was so relaxed. Super meaningful and we felt super special.”
Her biggest inspirations are Lauryn Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Whitney Houston, Toni Morrison, Audrey Lorde, bell hooks and James Baldwin.
“I’m a big reader, so I think that helped me with my themes and really inspires what I write about,” Saputo said.
She is fueled by a passion for social justice.
“I don’t feel like you can be an artist without being an activist because we do have a platform and we reach so many people,” Saputo said. “Me specifically, I feel like it’s not just my duty, but something I want to do.”
Saputo’s fan base has been in a constant state of ascension since she first presented her art to a listening audience. President Barack Obama named Saputo’s song “Historia De un Amor” one of his favorites of 2018.
She was in the process of preparing for a European tour when the COVID-19 global pandemic put a halt to live entertainment as the world knows it.
“I feel like I’m in an idle state,” Saputo said. “From not going on tour and not having that exposure, I’m just stagnant. It makes you think about who is valued in our society and who is not.”
Saputo has held three virtual concerts since the onset of COVID-19 restrictions and is focusing on a time when she will be able to take her sound to new countries and places that are not familiar with her sound.
“No matter what community you’re in – that community has music that brings them together,” Saputo said. “It’s a confession, it’s a diary, it’s a map, it’s very spiritual, it’s heavy. That’s why everyone likes music, because everyone can relate or find their place in it.”
For more information on Tonina Saputo, visit https://www.iamtonina.com/.
