You’re a bit of a slasher — singer/songwriter/podcaster/CEO. Not to mention, mother! Tell us a little about what you do, and how you juggle it all.
Everyday is different. I love working creatively and working for myself allows me to choose my hours and work around the kids. My parenting partner James is a really great support and is a big reason why I can also do what I do. I also have a really wonderful team of humans who work for us and also really excellent collaborators so I’m never working alone.
You host two podcasts, Tonts and Suggestible and also create music that is deeply personal, that encompasses love, loss, identity, and so much more. How do you balance putting so much of who you are into what you do, without depleting your energy or creativity?
I spend a lot of time in nature sitting with trees. Meditation and breathwork are a really important part of my art practice. I’ve stopped watching TV. I’m really careful in what I consume as I believe everything we watch/listen to feeds into what we make. I also try to get to bed early and drink water. All the boring stuff that we know is obvious but we can often skip. Working creatively gives me energy too and I’m so lucky to be surrounded by so many incredible women who make me laugh and are so supportive and fun. I think female friendship is deeply restorative.
You are a matrescence ambassador. What exactly is matrescence?
The new science of pregnancy and motherhood shows us how dramatic these changes are, from wild hormonal fluctuations to deep transformations in our hearts, immune systems, and even how we breathe. These shifts leave a lasting impact, yet they’re often brushed under the rug by a society that prefers to gloss over the raw, messy reality of motherhood.
Matrescence was first coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in 1973 and was beautifully revived by Dr. Aurelie Athan from Columbia University, who saw the power in this concept. As Dr. Athan so perfectly puts it, she proposed the revival of matrescence “to give mothers and those who care for them the language they didn’t know they needed.” She explains that, like adolescence, matrescence is a transformative period that accelerates changes across biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual domains. By reintroducing this concept, Dr. Athan has shifted the conversation around maternal mental health and offered a new lens through which we can view motherhood—a lens that destigmatizes and empowers.
“Understanding matrescence is a game-changer for women. By recognising the psychological, biological, social, and even political dimensions of matrescence, we can start to see motherhood for what it truly is: a revolutionary act of self-discovery and empowerment. It’s time to give mothers the grace, compassion, and language they deserve as they navigate this wild, beautiful, and deeply transformative chapter of their lives.”
This October, you will release a new song about your experience with miscarriage. What advice can you give to anyone currently going through the tranches of grief and loss?
Reach out for help. Organisations like PANDA, SANDS and COPE are wonderful places to find support. Don’t be afraid to create a ritual for yourself around your grief. Whatever that looks like to you it’s a really important part of acknowledging what you have lost. Allow yourself compassion, time and space to grieve. Connect with others who have also experienced loss too.
What do you love about Melbourne?
Naarm is energetically very special and I want to acknowledge that I live and create on the lands of the Wurundjeri people. Always was always will be Aboriginal land. I love the Yarra River and spend a lot of time walking beside it. I love our art and culture scene and our coffee. We have some of the best restaurants in the world. CODA is a big favourite of mine. I love the four seasons we have. The big beautiful old trees and our really vibrant music scene. There are so many pockets of Melbourne to explore from Smith Street to Flinders Lane to the Yarra Valley and beyond.
Where are your favourite places in Australia to travel to, eat at and enjoy?
Melbourne is my home and will always have my heart. A cocktail and oysters at Cumulus Up in the CBD or a little bit further afield Umberto’s in Thornbury for really yummy broccoli pasta. I also love the Mornington Peninsula, especially the bay beach at Mount Martha and a hidden gem along the coast called Diamond Bay. It has these incredible red rock cliffs and the water is so clear and blue. One of my favourite little spots to eat at is a lovely winery in Red Hill called Pier 10. The drive through the lush farmland is incredible too. Every year in Winter we visit Wye River along the Great Ocean Road. The kids love it. We go with a big group of other families and soak up the beach, the bush and gorgeous birdlife. Wye also have a really excellent pub, great coffee and the caravan park there is a real winner with adults and kids alike. I lived in the East Kimberly’s for a year and so have so much respect for the beauty and ancient landscape in and around Kununurra and the Bungle Bungles.
What does being Australian mean to you?
I have a complex relationship with being Australian. Descended from convicts that arrived on the First Fleet, I think there is so much healing that needs to occur for me to feel truly proud to call myself Australian. I deeply believe that listening to our First Nation people, the wisdom they hold and the call to create a Treaty is deeply necessary for us to move forward as a united country. The brutality of our history and its impact on Aboriginal people, the colonisation and destruction of so much of their culture and the pristine beauty of our natural landscape that they cared for for over 65,000 years needs to be deeply felt and acknowledged. In saying that this land is an incredible place to call home with such a rich diversity of cultures. My hope is that we can build a future together where we bring care back in as our first priority, care for mothers, for each other, for our earth and all living beings as equal.
Claire Tonti is a Naarm-based singer-songwriter and podcaster known for her evocative music and storytelling. Her debut album, Matrescence, explores the profound transformation of motherhood. As the host of the podcast TONTS, Claire connects with audiences by sharing authentic stories that resonate deeply. Through her work, she raises awareness and fosters community around the challenges of modern motherhood. Melbourne audiences can catch Claire live at The Brunswick Ballroom on October 20th. Tickets on sale here. Connect @Clairetonti
