Toine Scholten is a multi-talented singer and songwriter based in the Netherlands. He is a self-made musician who started making music at a very young age. His atmospheric soundscape and rhythmical songs have led him to perform for many years now at venues and events inside and outside of The Netherlands.

TOINEs passion and deep-rooted curiosity for magnetizing melodies resulted in the unique and mesmerizing sound he can now call his own, allowing him to move his audience every time he’s on stage. “I seek to be pure and authentic in light to touch peoples’ lives, to inspire and to comfort them.”With his smooth voice and his tight guitar skills, TOINEs music combines a magical pop sound with subtle jazz and funk influence.

He is best known for his recent single titled “Can’t Take It Back”.

Hi Toine, thanks for taking out time to respond to us. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Toine – Actually, I found it myself. I was searching for something to express myself in a way I couldn’t find in words. So when I heard artists like Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Albert King, and Stevie Ray Vaughn that really got me excited to start making music.

watch “I can’t take it back” on youtube:

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

Toine – Many things along the way were very interesting. I truly found and still find my own way in music. I’m an autodidact artist who searched for musicians who could help me further understand the guitar and eventually my voice by teaching but also by inviting them to play along at concerts. During breaks or after the shows you hear the most interesting stories of old cats and tips on how to improve as an artist. I think one of the most interesting stories I had was when we went out for the Roy Hargrove Quartet in Paris. Friends of mine who played with him invited me to his shows and after the shows, we hung out with the band and eventually ended up at a great bar somewhere in Paris jamming the whole night. These things are unforgettable and it does something with your state of mind playing with I personally think the highest quality of jazz musicians.

If I have to describe my style it has influences of Jazz, Blues, and funk blended into pop tunes. But what I learn from jazz and its theory is a tremendous treasure of opportunity to approach chords, scales, and eventually your whole song. I try to inform myself as best as I can.

Furthermore, I really like the improvements in my own career. Started out in my hometown playing in small pubs and eventually getting a fanbase who is willing to pay a ticket for your concerts. Finding the right musicians who are enthusiastic about the music you write is I personally think one of the biggest luck I ever had. Udo Pannekeet on Bass, Niek de Bruijn on drums and Rein Godefroy on the synthesizers. Udo Pannekeet is also the bass player of the band Focus and also works as a producer with Niek de Bruijn on my tracks. We have a perfect work mentality together.

Even though I have to arrange and organize everything to build up my own career it’s really nice to have people of this caliber around me and support my music for 1000%.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Toine – Making mistakes is all part of the game. Because only then do you see who you can improve and you grow into a better artist. I don’t have really funny stories about mistakes.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

Toine – My own career I just released my debut single I Can’t Take It Back and it has been a great success. Picked up by 4 national big radio stations and at the moment I’m in contact with a label in Amsterdam. Also, the great Candy Dulfer shared my debut single on her Instagram and played the track on her own radio show called Candy’s World on Sublime FM. In addition, I set up a radio tour and reached over 20 regional radio stations that have played my track or asked for an interview. Also, has the track been picked up by Spotify they placed the track in The New Music Friday in my country?

I really see the big picture with my own music so I’m not a session musician. I work every day on my own music.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

Toine – Well as I discussed that moment with Roy Hargrove was really cool but I also did a supporting act for Robben Ford and he is one of my heroes. Playing as a supporting act for one of your heroes is an indescribable feeling. But the interaction I have at the moment with my band is something that I really find unique. I feel we are free and creative to produce more good music and everything is on such a high level. I always try to work with the best and sometimes that can be really tough. You need to manage to improve yourself on short notice and with no excuses.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Toine – There are so many tips during every different kind of phase you go through in your music career. But in the end, you need to feel the enjoyment of making music you like and that strives you to be the best version of yourself. It’s existence and trust on the path you follow.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure? 

Toine – I don’t see failure. Just go and keep on trying and stay true to yourself. Listen to others but always make your own decisions. It’s very easy to be influenced by people who have a certain state of service but eventually, you are the person that needs to invest your money in production (musicians, Mixing, Studio, Mastering, Art Work, etc), marketing, networking, and so many more costs. It is so easy to be judged and I think that is something you need to understand.  If you work hard and you have fun in what you do and you feel you have a certain potential. That is really important. Then I think you should give it a shot. One thing is for sure. If it didn’t work out you can eventually say you tried and if you’re old and look back saying….I wish I did it. It’s the biggest regret.

Besides your own confidence, I think that is the most important one. The way I approach my own potential is actually based on a benchmark. How do people react to my music during a concert? Do club owners ask me for another concert? If this is positive and you see a growth curve that’s the best thing you can have.  Besides that, I have really searched for a lot of great people in the music business who are working for Virgin Records, Universal Records, Warner Chapell, and many more to see how they react to my music and my working mentality. You could describe this as market research for the potential of your own product. You have to be realistic to yourself and then believe things are possible to achieve. Besides that, you get yourself in the picture by people who are also interested in what you do and maybe in the future you can work together. Always believe in what you do but on the other hand, don’t lose reality out of sight. For me, that is common sense.

Can you share with our readers any self-care routines, practices, or treatments that you do to help your body, mind, or heart to thrive? Kindly share a story or an example for each.

Toine –

Body → Good food. Better two days in the week good meat instead of eating meat for the supermarket where god knows where it’s coming from. Treat your body like you treat the people you love.

Mind → Make sure you have family/friends around you with positive minds who can support you when times are tough but also can show you other ways of thinking. Be surrounded by good & smart people. Also when you worked really hard and the work didn’t pay off, always try to see you don’t do it for anything. Eventually, it will help you out in the near future. That is something I really learned by doing.

Heart to thrive →  I share with my family to stand for what you love and to fight for it. I think everyone has a certain fire in their hearts. We sometimes only need to find it by finding our true passion whatever that is. Don’t make it too big.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each. 

Toine –  I don’t think in this way. Everything you do is eventually for a reason. If I knew I would be talking to a great label in Amsterdam at this moment, would I have worked less hard? Be less worried? The unknown is something that keeps us going. You’re never there. I have once thought that. It has been the biggest mistake of my life.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Toine –

1. Keep life simple it’s already hard enough
2. This doesn’t mean that you can’t rule the world but it always gets me back on solid ground for a certain reason. My grandpa always told me this. I think he was trying to say. Try to understand what is happening around you and know what is the most important to you in your life and give that the most attention.
3. If it feels good don’t think too much. Just do it.
4. Be nice to yourself. This is the hardest one for me.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Toine – I think I have already discussed this question. The people I work with at the moment for my music, my family, and my friends.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?  

Toine – Bring humanity back to this world and have the ability to step over your own shadow.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? 

Toine – I’m always open to people who are enthusiastic about me and my music and if they are interested in having a conversation I’m always up for it! Besides that, I would love to have a chat with George Benson and talk the whole day about music and to hear about his career and of course what he would think of my music.

How can our readers follow you online?

Toine – you can follow Toine on Instagram: @toine.music

Visit www.toinemusic.com to learn more