Tone Blanco: Cambridge’s Rising Star on His Journey Through Rap and Melodic Exploration

Hailing from Cambridge, UK, Tone Blanco is a dynamic artist who seamlessly blends rap, melodic rap, and singing, all built on a foundation of early songwriting. His passion for music was ignited during his formative years and blossomed as he pursued a Music degree in college. After releasing his initial work under a different alias, Tone Blanco was born out of his collaboration with the S23 crew, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

Known for delivering energy-packed performances across Cambridge, Tone Blanco has graced well-known local stages such as The Junction and The Portland Arms. His talents have not gone unnoticed, with consistent support from BBC Introducing and Cambridge 105, as well as international recognition from renowned DJ Solomun, propelling him into the spotlight.

As he continues to explore new genres, Tone Blanco remains committed to offering a blend of quality and quantity in his music. In this interview, we sit down with Tone to discuss his artistic journey, the evolution of his sound, and what’s next on his path to musical greatness.

1. Your journey in music began during your formative years and has seen you evolve through various phases, including studying music in college and joining the S23 crew. How have these experiences shaped your musical style and identity as Tone Blanco?

I've never been afraid to experiment with different styles or sounds. I believe you can't truly create freely if you feel limited or pigeonholed to one specific sound, area or any expectations. There's always a chance for further elements to weave their way into my style in the future because being open and experimenting is so important, plus you can never tell where a new path can take you. My evolution has also been inspired by the people around me, whether that be through admiration/compliments/constructive criticism/conversations & introduction to new ways of approaching the craft. In this kind of game there is no end result, only when you stop creating, so evolution is something that is natural when you're putting in time. 

2. You've performed at notable local venues like The Junction and The Portland Arms in Cambridge. Can you share a particularly memorable performance experience and how it has influenced your approach to live shows?

There have been great moments I've enjoyed on stage and for the majority of them come from  the crowd. When your energy is reciprocated or even amplified by the people there it is a whole new ball game. The Junction had always been an aim of mine as I've seen so many artists that I look up to on that stage, so to perform there was brilliant. Having so much space up there made me realise that it's not actually the size of the space you have, it's what you do in that space that makes the impact. 

One of the first moments I experienced an insane crowd energy was at a venue in Cambridge called Tall Trees (now called Hanks Dirty) where the whole crowd was moving, shouting, dancing all set and that lit a spark in me helping to  realising how you can work with the people in the room to boost the energy for everyone.

 I also joined BSP for their gig at 2648 for 'Beats & Rhymes' late 2023 and everybody was going crazy to a song called Perfect Timing (with Tyler the Artist & Big Smash), it was quite an intimate room and the people were shouting and joining in with the chorus, moments like that just go straight through you! 

3. Your music has garnered significant support from BBC Introducing and Cambridge 105, and even international recognition from Solomun. How has this support impacted your career, and what role do these platforms play in your musical journey?

It's always nice to have your work recognised by establishments/established artists, almost like a thumbs up or an indication that you're going the right way about it, but you can go a long time without receiving any accolades or notoriety so I try not to let it be the be and all and end all, otherwise you'll be chasing other people's approval like a dog chasing its tail.

4. You've achieved placements in high-profile playlists such as those for Formula 1, Premier League, and various football clubs. What do you think it is about your music that resonates with such diverse and large-scale audiences?

For those specific playlists, I believe it was the song as a whole that grabbed the attention of these playlists as opposed to just myself, as the producers Sonata Collective had created such a great instrumental that the vibe was perfect for larger audiences and across more demographics. Thankfully it popped off and was getting played all over the place and not just the Sports world!

5. As an artist who explores rap, melodic rap, and singing, how do you approach blending these genres in your music to create a distinctive sound that remains true to your artistic vision?

For me, the music is always before the lyrics - It's all dependent on the instrumental It could be the chords/BPM/instruments/hook/breakdown that gives me the inspiration for the whole song or a switch up - it's all circumstantial, i will know fairly quickly if something is for me or not, as you say; to remain true to your artistic vision or branding.