Bio
Reva "Tonty" Thompson
December 13, 1995
An up and coming recording artist, Tonty is on a mission of light, love, and belonging to build her musical family, affectionately known as Heartbeats. She got her musical start playing the viola - which she continued for 9 years. Soon, singing became her first love - in school pageants, then later her church choir, as well as musicals and concerts. Described as angelic, lyrical, and intimate, her voice is inherited from her father Robert, who she often shares soulful duets with.
Her music ranges from the joys of first love to the pain of loss and the realities of this world to self-love, swagger, and confidence. She draws inspiration for her lyrics from the depths of her heart and wants them to touch her listeners just as deeply - even if the message is as simple as “life isn’t a piece of cake...but I’ll share a slice with you.” Her musical influences are as eclectic as she is: Jessye Norman, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, H.E.R, Aretha Franklin, Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy, and many many others.
Tonty is an advocate for all marginalized peoples, animals, and the environment. A champion for education in the arts, she plans to start her own Performing Arts boarding academy and name it after her late mother - Romelita Rose. She is a founding member of the Milizmuh family - the unique name for her college best friend group - and mother to a grumpy, adorable Sphynx cat, Romeo, named after his grandmother.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where did the name Tonty come from?
I LOVE this question. My nieces and nephews were calling all of their aunts "Titi" and, me being a Sagittarius, I like to be different. So, initially I was looking for the word aunt in different languages. I took a German class in graduate school and I remembered that aunt in German is Tante (pronounced TON-tuh). I changed it a little so that it was easier for them to say. So I became Tonty!
I chose it as my artist name because I really feel like I am the auntie. lol But I'm a lot of things to a lot of people.
When did you first realize you wanted to be an artist?
I've wanted to be a singer my entire life. My mama said I'd sing Aretha Franklin when I was 1-2 years old, and so well that she and my dad would be shocked.
It wasn't until high school that I realized that I can't see myself doing anything other than music. Then, during the quarantine, I decided to take a leap of faith and spend money I don't have to make an EP with someone I just met haha And I don't regret any moment of this journey except MAYBE not starting earlier. But everyone's timeline is different.