One’s path back to music can be a winding one. Oftentimes, life gets in the way and takes you on a different journey. But once the intention to go back has been set, nothing can stop you. This is a story of Shonah Tomkins.
For Shonah, an Australian singer-songwriter, her life, for many years, meant being a psychotherapist and an artisan. It was not until she turned 50 when she realised that life was simply too short to keep putting music aside. She entered the 2025 edition of the Castlemaine Idyll, a playful homage to the Australian Idol, held in a regional town. She performed Tori Amos’ “Cornflake Girl” and, guess what – she became the “People’s Choice Winner”! Talk about setting the intention, right?
Shonah’s latest single is called “Storm”. It was written about surviving a turbulent relationship three decades ago. Written at the age of 21, and recorded in 2026, it felt like a look back from today’s perspective and became a truly cathartic experience. Musically echoing Tori Amos’ most cherished works (the whole “Under The Pink” album comes to mind here), it features piano and strings. And a good amount of shivers.
“Storm” is also one of those rare music experiences which, from the first sound, pull you in to the world created by the instrumental and the voice. You close your eyes, and you are physically there. It is cold and late at night. The rain starts falling and the thunder follows. Your face, your clothes, your entire being get soaked. Rain or tears, does not matter. What matters is that you are watching the situation as an old film. And just like that, from the perspective of all the time which has passed, you take control over your life. If you are listening to the song right now, while reading these words, then you know exactly what I mean.
The exciting news is that “Storm” is part of a larger body of work. An EP, titled “Therapy Notes”, is currently being recoded at Forest Creek Records. With fragments of it already available on the streaming platforms (I recommend the brilliant “Songbird”), it is shaping to be a goosebumps-inducing experience. I am already reserving some space in my “Best of 2026” playlist for Shonah and her breathtaking music!
Photos: provided by Shonah Tomkins
More info: https://www.instagram.com/shonahtomkins
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