Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’ve been writing, producing and performing music for over a decade; my very first instrument was the trumpet (I played in both the school band and marching band) before transitioning to guitar. My childhood was filled with a wide range of musical genres with my father being into straight-forward rock like Led Zeppelin and the Who while my mother was more into new wave and alternative acts like the Police and R.E.M.
Q: Can you describe the musical style of Tony Lio in three words?
A: Best three words would be: melodic, chaotic and eclectic.
Q: How do you stay connected with your fans, and what role do they play in shaping your musical journey?
A: I try my best to stay active on social media and to give those who follow my music the “first scoop” so to speak of whatever I have planned in the works. I’m proud to say that most of the people that like and follow my music are close friends that I’ve known for many years who are musicians themselves and are more than willing to offer their support and creative ears in creating the sounds I’m looking for.
Q: You have just released your new EP, ‘Euphoric Illusions’. Is there a story behind it?
A: For clarity sake the full “Euphoric Illusions” EP was originally released exclusively on YouTube and Bandcamp in 2023 but last year I had released the EP “Mirage Masquerade” which was part of a trilogy collection known as “The Emotion Trilogy” with “Euphoric Illusions” being the section part of that collection; to coincide with the completion of that work I decided to repackage and re-release both “Euphoric Illusions” and its predecessor “Chaotic Desires” on Spotify and other streaming platforms. As for the origins of “Euphoric Illusions” it wound up becoming the catalyst of a new creative process I decided to dive into which was working with different producers and musicians for each track to give it its own distinctive sound and vibe. As for where the title “Euphoric Illusions” came from it arose from the lyrical themes that I was trying to express which was letting your true desires break free.
Q: What is your favorite track from the EP and why?
A: “Skocean” holds a special place for me as not only do I think it’s one of my best songs but it also features musicians that I’ve known for many years who are masters at their craft and definitely brought the song to another level.
Q: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing the EP, “Euphoric Illusions”?
A: “Euphoric Illusions” essentially took a year to fully produce as I worked out of four different studios owned by the producers assigned for a particular track. For the track “Dove Iris” I worked with producer and music teacher Ryan Grasso who I knew would offer distinctive ideas in crafting the song theory wise. For “Sweet Romantic” it was the first song I collaborated with Matt Pelosi on who had a long history of producing multiple artists of different genres and wasn’t afraid to offer constructive criticism in order to improve the song. For “Skocean” I worked with my long time friend Nick Thomsen who has not only played music all his life but looked at the track from an engineer’s perspective as well in order to craft its sounds. For the last track “Solar Queen” it was the second song I worked on with freelance producer-musician Fabiane Lopez out of his makeshift studio; he had previously produced my stand-alone single “Kaleidoscope” and I knew his creative and somewhat unorthodox ideas would be perfect for this track. By the end of the process I wound up with four songs I was incredibly proud of and knew they would hold a permanent place in my song catalogue.
Q: What has been the most memorable concert or performance for Tony Lio so far?
A: A memorable concert that comes to mind that I was lucky to be a part of was the first Mending Through Music festival in late 2024 held in Boonton, NJ. Not only was I part of a bill that featured incredible artists but its conception was for a good cause as it raised funds for Suicide Prevention and it was a major success. Definitely a show I’ll never forget.
Q: Reflecting on your body of work, each song holding its unique significance, could you share a particular track that stands out to you personally? What makes that specific tune special, and why does it hold a place of pride in your musical journey?
A: Honestly that’s a very difficult question as I feel like that answer changes every other day. But if I could choose a particular track that has been essential in my music journey it would have to be a track called “Weird (Is Beautiful)” on my very first EP just titled “LIO”. The genesis of that song came from the title I had in the back of my head for a bit and as I was planning to record a new project around that time an old friend asked for the full song demo (and at the time I didn’t have the music written out, not one note lol). What happened next though was a strange experience as in about twenty to thirty minutes I wrote out the entire song, music and lyrics in all, and I just felt a sense of accomplishment and acceptance like “wow that’s a first.” I view that experience as the start of my true transformation into Tony Lio and to this day it’s the song I always ensure to put in my sets. Also doesn’t hurt that my uncle (who is a longtime music fan as well) once told me “it’s your signature song”, so I guess I have to play it everytime.
Q: Exploring the diverse creative processes within the music industry is always fascinating. Could you provide insight into Tony Lio’s unique approach to crafting music? From the initial spark of an idea to the finished song, how do you navigate the creative journey and bring its musical concepts to life?
A: I view songwriting as a puzzle, trying to find certain pieces that’ll fit together in order to create something totally original. How that puzzle starts ranges from either a phrase that comes to my mind on the spot, titles I’ve written down over the years or just noodling and experimenting on the guitar that’ll eventually grant me a riff or melody I’m looking for. Once I get that starting piece, I proceed to take my time in both crafting the music and lyrics until I find myself satisfied with the song I was aiming to create and willing to express at the time. After that I proceed to put it in the vault so to speak until it’s ready to be recorded and once it is I aim to make sure it’s a song I’m proud of.
Q: As we wrap up our conversation, looking ahead, what aspirations or dreams do you have for Tony Lio, and what message would you like to share with your fans as they continue to accompany you on this musical journey?
A: As of right now the current plans for Tony Lio are to continue to create music and projects with many different artists in the hope that maybe a song will reach the masses and will hopefully help those who are going through a tough time and experience joy through music. At the end of the day, I’m truly grateful to everyone who has supported and loved my music and I’ll keep creating for them.
