Antonia Bennett, daughter of the legendary Tony Bennett, pays tribute to her father’s musical legacy with the album Expressions, which will be available on all platforms on Friday, June 13th via Symphonic Distro. The album weaves between jazz and pop, combining original compositions with reinterpretations of classics from The Great American Songbook. As part of the album’s promotion, Antonia will release the new ballad “Baby” on May 9th, dedicated to her daughter Maya and co-written with Cliff Goldmacher.
Pre-save “Expressions” on the following platforms: https://hypeddit.com/antoniabennett/expressions
“Expressions” arrives as both a heartfelt tribute to your legacy and a statement of your own identity as an artist.How was the process of balancing your father’s influence with your voice on this new album?
I don’t think of it as something I need to balance. My father’s influence is naturally there—I don’t try to minimize it, and I don’t need to. At the same time, I have my own voice, and that comes through just as naturally. It’s not something I have to work at. Both are simply part of who I am, along with many other influences that shape me as an artist.
The record features your original compositions alongside classics from The Great American Songbook. What inspires you when writing a new song? And how did you choose the tracks that would complete this repertoire?
The original songs on the album were written during moments when I was going through certain personal experiences—they reflect what I was feeling at the time. As for the Great American Songbook selections, my musical director Christian Jacob and I chose songs that we genuinely love and felt would complement each other well. It was an intuitive and heartfelt process.
The song “Baby,” dedicated to your daughter Maya, is a sweet and deeply personal ballad. How has motherhood transformed the way you compose and connect with music?
I’m not completely sure how to describe it, but I can say that art has always been deeply tied to the human experience for me. Having a child has changed me in profound ways. I’m still the same person, but my capacity for love and giving has grown. That inevitably flows into the music—into everything I do.
You grew up alongside one of the world’s greatest musical legends, yet you’ve built a solid career on your ownmerit. At what moments did you most feel the need to assert your own artistic journey?
There wasn’t one defining moment where I said, “This is it.” It’s been a series of moments over time. My path hasn’t been a straight line. There have been times when I’ve felt more creative and others when I’ve stepped back a bit. But the constant has always been my love for music. That’s what keeps me going. You do it because you love it—it’s simply a part of who you are.
Jazz and pop intertwine in “Expressions” in such an elegant and fluid way. How do you view the role of jazz today, especially for younger generations, and what do you hope your album inspires in them?
Thank you. I love that this record reflects a blend of different influences. It’s hard to define jazz’s role today because it’s always evolving. But I do hope it continues to inspire. And I hope Expressions offers some joy and comfort to those who listen—maybe even sparks a bit of inspiration in someone else’s creative journey.
Releasing an album is always an act of vulnerability—especially one that carries so much history and emotion. What do you most hope listeners will feel when they hear “Expressions” from start to finish?
A piece of my heart.
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