Will Toledo (born William Barnes)[1] is the principal songwriter and frontman of the American indie rock band Car Seat Headrest. He was born on August 23, 1992.[2] He grew up in Leesburg, Virginia. He moved to Seattle, Washington in 2014 in pursuit of his music career.[3]
Will Toledo | |
|---|---|
 Will Toledo in 2012 | |
| Born | August 23, 1992 |
| Occupation | musician |
| Website | https://carseatheadrest.com/ |
Car Seat Headrest
editHe started his solo project shortly after graduating from high school. He previously released music under other aliases, such as The 63rd Fret and Nervous Young Men. He was also a member of the band Mr. Yay Ok. However, since he struggled to establish an audience through these projects, he chose to try to release more experimental songs anonymously. [4] Toledo chose the name "Car Seat Headrest" for this solo music project as he would frequently record the vocals of his early albums in the back seat of his family's car for privacy.[5]
In Car Seat Headrest, Toledo provides vocals, guitar, piano, and synthesizers. Much of Toledo's songwriting is influenced by depression and mental illness.[6]
Personal life
editToledo is gay[7] and is a member of the furry fandom.[7] He graduated from Loudoun County High School in 2010[8], and subsequently enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he faced loneliness and alienation, a prominent theme in Toledo’s fifth album under the Car Seat Headrest moniker, My Back Is Killing Me Baby (originally titled “5”). Toledo quickly transferred to the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia after one semester at VCU. He graduated from William and Mary in 2014, and moved to Seattle, Washington to pursue Car Seat Headrest professionally.
The Car Seat Headrest concept albums Twin Fantasy and Monomania (2012) explores a long distance relationship he was in at the time, reportedly with Lamezone creator Cate Wurtz, and the subsequent separation that followed it. The pair are still friends, with Cate Wurtz continuing to contribute artwork to Car Seat Headrest, most recently on the band’s latest album Making a Door Less Open and its Bandcamp-exclusive single releases and covers.
Despite struggling with mental unrest, Toledo does not consider himself depressed or mentally ill.[6]
References
edit- ^ Martin, Robey (June 27, 2017). "Q&A: Car Seat Headrest". richmondmagazine.com. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Person, Some. "Will Toledo". WeBlogy. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Swick, Shaun (December 23, 2015). "The Wunderkind: Will Toledo". City Arts Magazine. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ carseatheadrest (June 29, 2018). Car Seat Headrest - I Haven't Done Sh*t This Year (TIDAL Documentary: Part One). Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Hsu, Hua (November 2, 2015). "How Musicians Get Famous Today". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ a b Domanick, Andrea (July 1, 2016). "A Long Drive with Car Seat Headrest". Vice. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ a b "Car Seat Headrest's Will Toledo Takes Off the Mask". Paste Magazine. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Dellinger, Hannah (February 11th, 2016). "Featured by Rolling Stone and NPR, Leesburg native Car Seat Headrest is having one heck of a year".
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External links
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