Tania de Jong _ a healing note

With the voice of an angel, the heart of a lion and the soul of a mystic, Tania de Jong AM leads a varied and productive life. She is a gifted soprano with an entrepreneurial flair and a passion for giving. Having built numerous businesses, performed in countless venues, released many CDs and established three charities, her latest vision is to transform the treatment of mental illness in Australia.

- TERRY ROBSON

Tania de Jong has a beautiful voice, not only in the melodious sense, but also in the message she shares. As a singer she has performed in numerous venues globally and released 12 albums (seven with her group Pot-Pourri and five solo efforts). De Jong has also founded three charities, The Song Room, With One Voice and her latest Mind Medicine Australia. She has developed five businesses including Creative Innovation Global, Dimension 5 and MTA Events and Entertainment. There has been recognition along the way: in 2008 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the arts as a performer and entrepreneur and for establishing programs in schools and communities. Yet it hasn’t been all smooth sailing — there have been storms in her path — but through it all she has been driven by a passionate belief in the healing power of song, a rich family heritage, a desire to break down barriers of all sorts and a deep thirst for oneness.

Seeds of song

De Jong has a family heritage that has shaped her in many ways. Her entrepreneurial spirit can be traced to her grandmother, Slawa Duldig, who is credited with inventing the folding umbrella. While this might be an eye-catching detail, the broader family history and a deep vein of creativity have been more determinant in de Jong’s life.