Carah Faye Charnow
Encyclopedia
Carah Faye Charnow is an American singer and songwriter. She is currently the female vocalist of the band Shiny Toy Guns
(2004–2008, 2011), with whom she scored a Grammy nomination, and is also currently the frontwoman/vocalist of the band Versant
. She officially returned as a vocalist for Shiny Toy Guns in February 2011.
/rock/electronica
band Shiny Toy Guns. Shiny Toy Guns gained popularity in California as well as through their MySpace
page. On October 17, 2006, they released their first album, We Are Pilots
(UNI-MOTOWN), after previously recording and independently releasing it two times with varying tracklists. The album’s best-known tracks are "Le Disko
", "You Are the One
", and "Don't Cry Out". On December 6, 2007, We Are Pilots received a Grammy Award
nomination in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album. Carah remained the female vocalist of Shiny Toy Guns until she was released in the summer of 2008.
. Samples of their songs "Push Away", "Out Of Touch", "Quick Escapes", and "Heartbeats" have been posted on their MySpace page, and the full versions are included on their self-released digital EP heartbeats ep released on September 21, 2010.
' countdown timer in a YouTube video that Carah was part of the band again. Her husband, Daniel is also joining. Versant was also quoted on Facebook saying, "Boys and Girls, Carah Faye and Daniel Johansson, of your beloved Versant, are joining Shiny Toy Guns for album number three. Please enjoy this piece of music history! Here is another announcement: Versant isn't going ANYWHERE!"
at age 5. She started taking voice lessons at an early age and sang in a professional show choir called Fresh Chances for America for about four or five years (with performances at events and venues like the Reagan Library and Amway Diamond Convention).
She has said that her main musical influences were Ella Fitzgerald
, Etta James
and Nancy Sinatra
, and also Whitney Houston
and Björk
, among the contemporary singers. Carah's earliest muse was her grandfather, Arnold Moselle, a World War II fighting captain who sang in a "big band-ish" group called "The Nightingales". He used to sing lullabies to her like Frank Sinatra
and Nat King Cole
, and he encouraged her to pursue a musical career.
After high school, Carah's dream was to go to New York
and attend The Juilliard School. Instead, she went to Moorpark College
and "did some garage band stuff that didn't go anywhere". Through a friend she met Jeremy Dawson
, who needed a vocalist to record dummy versions of pop songs he was writing for other artists.
In early 2004, Jeremy Dawson invited Carah to sing with Shiny Toy Guns, which he'd formed with Chad Petree in 2002. She remained the female vocalist of this band until the summer of 2008, when she was released. Almost immediately after her sudden release from Shiny Toy Guns, her current band Versant began to form in Sweden. In a February 2009 interview, Carah said that she spent most of her time in Sweden
(Vänersborg
) working on music for Versant and takes occasional trips back to California.
Carah is married to her bandmate Daniel Johansson.
On February 11, 2011 it was revealed that Carah had re-joined Shiny Toy Guns as their co-lead singer and that Daniel Johansson had joined the band as well.
Shiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns is an American indie rock band that formed in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. They released their first studio album We Are Pilots in 2006, after recording it two previous times. It featured three singles that peaked inside the top 30 in the Alternative Songs Chart. We Are Pilots...
(2004–2008, 2011), with whom she scored a Grammy nomination, and is also currently the frontwoman/vocalist of the band Versant
Versant (band)
Versant is a Swedish and American band from Vänersborg, Sweden and Newbury Park, California that formed in the summer of 2008. Versant features vocalist Carah Faye Charnow, of the band Shiny Toy Guns, guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Johansson, drummer Richard Ankers, formerly of the band Melody Club,...
. She officially returned as a vocalist for Shiny Toy Guns in February 2011.
Shiny Toy Guns (2004-2008)
In 2004, Carah joined the indieIndie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
/rock/electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
band Shiny Toy Guns. Shiny Toy Guns gained popularity in California as well as through their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page. On October 17, 2006, they released their first album, We Are Pilots
We Are Pilots
We Are Pilots is the major label debut album by Los Angeles-based band Shiny Toy Guns. It was released on October 17, 2006 by Universal Motown and is the third release by the band following two independently released versions of the album also titled We Are Pilots...
(UNI-MOTOWN), after previously recording and independently releasing it two times with varying tracklists. The album’s best-known tracks are "Le Disko
Le Disko
"Le Disko" is the first single by rock group Shiny Toy Guns from their album We Are Pilots. This single peaked at #26 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts. It peaked #114 on the U.S...
", "You Are the One
You Are the One (Shiny Toy Guns song)
"You Are the One" is the second single by rock group Shiny Toy Guns from their album We Are Pilots. This single peaked at #25 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, at #94 on the UK Singles Chart, and at #23 on the Dance Airplay chart....
", and "Don't Cry Out". On December 6, 2007, We Are Pilots received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album. Carah remained the female vocalist of Shiny Toy Guns until she was released in the summer of 2008.
Versant (2008-2011)
After her release from Shiny Toy Guns, Carah started a new band, VersantVersant (band)
Versant is a Swedish and American band from Vänersborg, Sweden and Newbury Park, California that formed in the summer of 2008. Versant features vocalist Carah Faye Charnow, of the band Shiny Toy Guns, guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Johansson, drummer Richard Ankers, formerly of the band Melody Club,...
. Samples of their songs "Push Away", "Out Of Touch", "Quick Escapes", and "Heartbeats" have been posted on their MySpace page, and the full versions are included on their self-released digital EP heartbeats ep released on September 21, 2010.
Shiny Toy Guns (again, 2011-present)
As of February 11, it was announced at the end of the Shiny Toy GunsShiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns is an American indie rock band that formed in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. They released their first studio album We Are Pilots in 2006, after recording it two previous times. It featured three singles that peaked inside the top 30 in the Alternative Songs Chart. We Are Pilots...
' countdown timer in a YouTube video that Carah was part of the band again. Her husband, Daniel is also joining. Versant was also quoted on Facebook saying, "Boys and Girls, Carah Faye and Daniel Johansson, of your beloved Versant, are joining Shiny Toy Guns for album number three. Please enjoy this piece of music history! Here is another announcement: Versant isn't going ANYWHERE!"
Personal life
Carah was born in Santa Barbara and moved to Newbury ParkNewbury Park
Newbury Park can refer to:*Newbury Park, California*Newbury Park, London...
at age 5. She started taking voice lessons at an early age and sang in a professional show choir called Fresh Chances for America for about four or five years (with performances at events and venues like the Reagan Library and Amway Diamond Convention).
She has said that her main musical influences were Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
and Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, and also Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
and Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, among the contemporary singers. Carah's earliest muse was her grandfather, Arnold Moselle, a World War II fighting captain who sang in a "big band-ish" group called "The Nightingales". He used to sing lullabies to her like Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, and he encouraged her to pursue a musical career.
After high school, Carah's dream was to go to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and attend The Juilliard School. Instead, she went to Moorpark College
Moorpark College
Moorpark College is a California state college located on a property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. It was established in 1967 and as of 2006, had an enrollment of 16,580 students and 175 full-time faculty members....
and "did some garage band stuff that didn't go anywhere". Through a friend she met Jeremy Dawson
Jeremy Dawson
Jeremy Dawson is best known as the keyboardist of the American new wave/indie/rock band Shiny Toy Guns.-Bands:Jeremy was the driving force behind the acts Cloud2Ground, Slyder, and Spyder...
, who needed a vocalist to record dummy versions of pop songs he was writing for other artists.
In early 2004, Jeremy Dawson invited Carah to sing with Shiny Toy Guns, which he'd formed with Chad Petree in 2002. She remained the female vocalist of this band until the summer of 2008, when she was released. Almost immediately after her sudden release from Shiny Toy Guns, her current band Versant began to form in Sweden. In a February 2009 interview, Carah said that she spent most of her time in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(Vänersborg
Vänersborg
Vänersborg is a locality and the seat of Vänersborg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 21,672 inhabitants in 2005. Until 1997 it was the capital of Älvsborg County, which was dissolved in 1998. Since 1999 Vänersborg is the seat of the regional parliament of Västra Götaland County...
) working on music for Versant and takes occasional trips back to California.
Carah is married to her bandmate Daniel Johansson.
On February 11, 2011 it was revealed that Carah had re-joined Shiny Toy Guns as their co-lead singer and that Daniel Johansson had joined the band as well.