[2] She studied music at Oslo Musikkonservatorium (1971–75), combined with playing in the jazz rock band "Unis".

[2] Toneff was awarded the Spellemannsprisen 1977 in the category best vocal for the album Winter Poem, and she posthumously received the Norwegian Jazz Association's Buddypris in 1982.

[4] The Radka Toneff Memorial Award is based on a fund created with royalties from the albums Fairytales and Live in Hamburg.

[4] She lived with bassist Arild Andersen for some years, though she was involved with jazz drummer Audun Kleive at the time of her death.

[5] Toneff had roots in Bulgaria, she grew up on Lambertseter (in Oslo) and Kolbotn (in a neighboring former municipality), and left deep traces in Norwegian jazz.