Folk-Pop Songwriter Tonia Evans Cianciulli Turns Plane Turbulence Into Triumph With Bravery
Not everyone can say they documented a personal epiphany on a barf bag. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Newfoundland-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tonia Evans Cianciulli, who got the inspiration for her moving ballad “Bravery” while on a fateful flight to Vancouver.
At over 30,000 feet in the air, stuck in her seat for five hours between her two young children, Cianciulli found herself bedeviled by thoughts of worry—for her own safety and security, and for theirs.
“I’ve been no stranger to the feelings of being lost and alone in life, despite being surrounded by family and friends who loved me,” she says. “That day, my mind was particularly turbulent. I could also see my daughter, a tween at the time, struggling with her own heavy emotions. It was then that the realization hit: I had to be brave—not only for myself but for my children too.”
So she grabbed the air-sickness bag that was in front of her and began to write. The song that poured out of her, “Bravery,” is a delicate but clear-eyed expression of protectiveness, as we can tell from its very first lines: “Bravery is coming/ She doesn’t see it yet.” While our narrator waits patiently for her offspring to outgrow the training wheels of parental concern, she herself pledges to remain a steadying influence, even if it means summoning all the courage she can muster.
Holding out my arms to you
I’ll be right there to see you through
I’m standing here for you
In its recorded form, the song makes good on its author’s every therapeutic intention, with Cianciulli enunciating her thoughts carefully over an acoustic guitar that’s plucked with equal and affecting precision. The track has since taken pride of place in her four-album repertoire of motivational hymns like “Thousand Cries,” “Red Carpet,” “Hold His Heart” and “Always Her Home,” all of which resonate with themes of mental health and inner forgiveness.
Just as important, writing “Bravery” proved the impetus for Cianciulli to pursue a parallel career in counseling psychology. These days, she’s a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) with a master’s from Yorkville University. That’s not to mention her certification as a Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner and a teacher with the Institute of HeartMath. She’s also a registered doula/birth coach and the homeschooling mother of the aforementioned two children, now teenagers. Her goal in all of it: to help other mothers find their way, just as she’s had to find hers.
In 2023, Cianciulli compiled her accrued wisdom in a book, Flick Your Heart-Light On, Let Your Fears Be Gone! Helping Children Connect to Their Heart to Soothe Their Mind. A powerful resource for both children and their caregivers, the book includes exercises that help kids tap into the power of their heart to process difficult feelings like anxiety, fear, anger, and sadness. Interspersed thought the pages are colourful and compassionate illustrations by Cianciulli’s daughter, Sophia Josephine.
So no, there’s no danger Cianciulli will lose her focus while she readies her next album, the forthcoming Love Me ’Til I’m Me Again. Especially since she hasn’t forgotten the metaphoric importance of that transformative plane trip.
“An airplane’s journey is rarely a straight line, but it still reaches its desired destination, no matter how many times it has to adjust for turbulence,” she says. “I realized I too could weather life’s storms and uncertainties—as long as I stayed brave, willing to do the hard work of healing my past, and of mothering both myself and my children with love.”
“I am really not a big fan of flying,” she reflects. “But their barf bag sure did come in handy!”
Hi Tonia! Good to see you again! How’s your year been so far?
Happy 2025! I’m excited to be back in touch with my newest release, Bravery. 2025 has started off in a whirlwind! I have begun taking therapy clients as part of my practicum in my Master’s in Counselling Psychology program. Working intimately with clients, most of which happen to be mothers, has solidified my passion for writing music that helps me personally process and heal, which in turn has allowed me to able to touch and help others. My focus this year, besides becoming a Registered Psychotherapist, is releasing several new songs from my upcoming album, Love Me Till I’m Me Again. I’ve also started writing and recording guided meditations for mothers around various aspects of the journey of motherhood, in the background I’ve added my own vocals go up the healing and ‘goosebump’ effects, LOL! I believe deeply that mothers have one of the most important and challenging jobs on the planet. Mothers need all the support, compassion, and resources they can get in this world that has gotten so far away from the, ‘It takes a village’ mentality. In a world of social media, we THINK that we are more connected than ever, however, from what I see in personal friendships with mothers, and as a qualifying therapist, mothers have never felt more isolated, unseen, invalidated in their ever-changing and demanding role as moms.
“Bravery” was born from a deeply personal moment on a flight. Can you take us back to that day and what compelled you to start writing on a sickness bag?
Absolutely! I vividly remember sitting between my son and daughter on a long flight to Vancouver. My children were not quite teens at the time. My daughter was learning to navigate some anxiety. When you’re stuck in the same spot for hours, your mind starts to race. I remember feeling overwhelmed with deep, thought-provoking questions about life—what was my purpose? Was I doing a good enough job as their mom? Why couldn’t I shake my own anxiety? How could I help others if I was struggling myself? I thought I had packed my journal for the flight, but I realized I had forgotten it. I did, however, have a pen I was using to underline phrases in whatever self-help book I was reading at the time. And then I saw the Air Canada barf bag. I had doodled on napkins before, so I thought, why not a barf bag? I wrote the word “bravery” at the top because that’s the word that came to mind as I thought about how I would need to show up as a mother to my children—and for myself. I realized on that flight that I would not only have to mother my children but also care for the little girl inside of me who still had healing and growing up to do.
The song beautifully expresses both protectiveness and self-discovery. How did writing “Bravery” help you process your emotions at that moment?
I’ve always been a writer, and it’s been a reliable way to process my feelings, whether I’m writing a journal entry, a letter to someone, or song lyrics. The older I get, the easier I find it to express my emotions verbally, but for years, I relied on writing when the words just wouldn’t come out as eloquently. As soon as my pen hit the page, the lyrics began to pour out. Sometimes, you can sit for hours trying to craft the perfect song and other times, it just flows out of you in the most bizarre places and times. Writing this song felt like a creative release, helping to ease my anxiety at that moment. It gave me a flicker of inspiration and a glimmer of hope for the future. I took it as a sign that no matter what, I would find the courage to be brave—for my children and myself. Being on an airplane, I was also reminded that just like a plane that is off-course 90% of the time but still reaches its destination, I would reach each new phase of motherhood and life, with grit and grace, even if I felt lost in certain moments.
The lyrics convey a mother’s strength and vulnerability. How have your own children reacted to the song, knowing it was inspired by them?
My children have always felt like my little buddies. I homeschooled them both for nine years, and during that time, they attended many of my concerts, book signings, and events. It’s a beautiful feeling knowing they’ve watched me grow and expand as a mom, an artist, and a woman. I’ve always told them that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. When I played the song for my daughter for the first time, we were lying in bed, cuddling during our nighttime routine. I remember both of us tearing up. She’s aware of some of the struggles I’ve faced on my own journey, and she knows I’ll continue to be there for her on hers. Sharing something you’ve created from the heart with someone you love so deeply is a very special experience. Our struggles have a way of uniting us. It’s easier to be brave when you know you’re not in it alone.
Do you find that performing songs like “Bravery” feels therapeutic, both for you and your audience?
100%! I generally write music to heal my own heart. It’s an added bonus when people in my audience resonate with the messages and stories I share. I first performed this song live in Twillingate, Newfoundland, in 2023, much before its release. I remember feeling unsure of how the audience would react—it felt so deeply personal and vulnerable. The room was completely silent when the final chord of the guitar faded. It felt almost meditative, like the end of a yoga class, with a deep sense of calmness in the air. It’s been proven that an audience’s breathing and heart rates can synchronize when we experience music together. Moments like this are a reminder of the power and miracle of music.
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