Toronto’s TÖME (pronounced toe-mi) is currently on a mission to become Canada’s ambassador in the global world of African music. On the day of her Juno Opening Night Awards performance, the Toronto-based singer drops a new vibrant and sanguine single called “NANA,” marking it as her first release of 2021.
TÖME blends contagious and energetic vocals together seamlessly with basslines and instrumentation rooted in African essences on “NANA.” The track is a perfect embodiment TÖME’s uniqueness as an artist, which derives from her ability to tap into diverse sonic palettes that stem from her multi-cultural background and upbringing.
Born in Montreal to a Nigerian father and French-Canadian mother, TÖME is en route to cementing herself as a global artist with just two years formally in the music industry. The genre-blending crooner spent the early portion of her career gracing stages in Toronto, America, and the UK alongside Afrobeats superstars Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Mr Eazi. Most recently, her 2020 gospel-inspired single “I Pray” featuring Sean Kingston was nominated for Reggae Record of The Year at this year’s JUNO Awards, where she’ll be performing tonight for their Opening Night.
When asked about “NANA,” TÖME told Complex, “This one just felt right. After a year in lockdown and dealing with all the emotions the pandemic brought, I felt like it was only right to deliver warm and feel-good music. NANA is a vibe that’s perfect for everyone as things start to open up again. It also showcases my range and diversity as an artist, which is further exemplified on my EP coming out later in the summer. I want to show that I’m more than just an Afro-fusion artist. This is just a preview of a lot more to come.”
