Here you will get all the information about Toyah Willcox Net Worth, early life. Toyah Ann Willcox is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television host.
Willcox has had eight top 40 singles in his career, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays and ten feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows.
She fronted the band Toyah from 1977 to 1983 before embarking on a solo career in the mid-1980s. Toyah was nominated for British Breakthrough Act and Best Female Solo Artist at the 1982 BPI/Brit Awards.
| Net Worth: | $15 Million |
| Date of Birth: | May 18, 1958 (64 years old) |
| Gender: | Female |
| Height: | 5 ft (1.54 m) |
| Profession: | Singer, Actor, Musician, Songwriter, Author, Record producer |
| Nationality: | England |
Table of Contents
Early Life of Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox was born on 18 May 1958 was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Toyah Willcox father, Beric Willcox, owned three factories and operated a successful joinery business.
He fell in love with her mother Barbara Joy, née Rollinson, a professional dancer, after seeing her perform with Flanagan and Allen in Weston-super-Mare.
They were married in 1949. After giving birth to Nicola (born 1950) and Kim (born 1953), Willcox’s older sister and brother, respectively, Barbara was forced to renounce her career.
Willcox has speculated that her unusual first name may be a nod to Toyah, Texas, or to the Native American word “toyah,” which means “water,” though she notes that both of these origins are denied by her parents.
Willcox had a comfortable upbringing and attended a private girls’ school, but she was bullied. She acted violently toward her mother, to whom she was close, while undergoing physiotherapy for a spinal condition.
She was a disobedient and frequently absent student who took her O-level exams a year late due to corrective foot surgery. She passed her O-level music exam.
Her rebellious behavior caused her to avoid male company and take on an aggressive and flamboyant identity as a result of feeling alienated by her upbringing and surroundings.
Willcox sought an outlet first in acting and then in music because of her early interests in music, dance, and acting as well as her alienation and sexual insecurity.
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She paid privately to attend the Old Rep Drama School in Birmingham after being turned down for a grant, with the assessor remarking that “she has a lisp and isn’t attractive.”
She started out as a dresser in neighborhood theaters like the Birmingham Hippodrome and The Alexandra. Repertory actors referred to her as “The Bird of Paradise” due to her distinctive appearance and garishly dyed hair.
Musical Career of Toyah Willcox
Willcox resided in a studio that was a former British Rail warehouse in London called “Mayhem.” Toyah recorded their initial demos in this location.
She spent some time sleeping in a “second-hand” coffin that was allegedly used by the French Red Cross to transport victims of fatal accidents due to a lack of a proper bed.
Toyah signed to Safari Records and released her debut single, “Victims of the Riddle,” which peaked at the top of the UK Indie Charts, citing her role in Quadrophenia as a boost to her musical career.
The Sheep Farming in Barnet EP, which was created by Steve James and Keith Hale, came next. It was first released in Germany, and in 1979 it was re-released as an LP with the six original tracks, the A and B sides of “Victims of the Riddle,” as well as three tracks that had never been released on vinyl before.
The Blue Meaning, Willcox’s second album, reached number 40 on the UK Albums Chart in June 1980. She is said to have announced at this point that she was breaking all ties with punk aesthetics.
The live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, which was captured at the Lafayette Club in Wolverhampton the year before, reached the Top 30 in January 1981, helped by the TV documentary Toyah.
The original band had disbanded by this point, and the remaining members—Joel Bogen and Toyah—were replaced by Phil Spalding, Nigel Glocker, and Adrian Lee.
With hits like Four from Toyah EP (no. 4, February 1981), which featured “It’s a Mystery,” the third album Anthem, which peaked at no. 2 in May 1981.
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And was later awarded platinum certification, “I Want to Be Free,” which peaked at no. 8, in June 1981, “Thunder in the Mountains,” which peaked at no. 4, in October 1981, and Four More from Toyah EP, which peaked at no (no. 14, November 1981).
With EPs that were also commercially successful abroad, she became one of the first acts to consistently rank in the UK Singles Chart. Willcox won the reader’s choice awards for Best Female Singer and Most Fanciful Female at the year’s end (beating Kim Wilde to the second place).
According to Safari, she alone sold more albums in the UK in 1981 than the entirety of Warner Bros.
What Is Toyah Willcox Net Worth?
Toyah Willcox has a net worth of $15 million. Before going solo, Willcox was the lead singer of the band Toyah from 1977 to 1983. Toyah made 5 studio albums and 2 live albums.
The Anatomy of a Successful Toyah Willcox Career
Willcox founded the rock group Toyah in 1977 while performing at the National Theatre in Tales from the Vienna Woods, which served as inspiration for her role as a Glitter musician.
The band, which went on to be successful, was started by Joel Bogen on guitar, Mark Henry on bass, Steve Bray on drums, Peter Bush on keyboards, and herself on vocals.
After years of questioning her sexuality and being repulsed by her colleagues’ antics with groupies, she found herself in the position of being the frontwoman of a successful band, despite never considering herself a musician.
Willcox was introduced to director Derek Jarman by actor Ian Charleson, who gave him “any part you want” in the movie Jubilee (called Down with the Queen at the time).
Willcox played the deadly “Mad” in the movie, along with a number of other well-known punk figures, despite its financial struggles.
She portrayed the role of “Monkey” in The Who’s 1979 film Quadrophenia. She knew filmmaker Franc Roddam because of her friendship with John Lydon, who then recommended her to the director.
Willcox received the title of Monkey in exchange for a fee from Roddam. She finished the filming even though she needed medical assistance because of pneumonia.
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Willcox went on to play Miranda in Derek Jarman’s production of The Tempest, earning her a nomination for Best Newcomer at the 1980 Evening Standard Awards, after failing to land a part in Russ Meyer’s Sex Pistols movie The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle.
Toyah Willcox Personal Life
Since 1986, she has been married to Robert Fripp, the guitarist and founder of the progressive rock band King Crimson.
The couple doesn’t have any children and has set up their wills so that their entire fortune will go to a musical education trust for kids.
In 1987, Willcox was asked to give a speech at the Women of the Year event in front of Diana, Princess of Wales. She talked about how being disabled makes people more creative and hungry for a fuller life.
In 2002, she became a well-known person who was against plans to build centers for asylum seekers near the village of Throckmorton in Worcestershire. She protested with more than a thousand villagers.
Willcox sponsored the Black Country Urban Park for the People’s £50 million Big Lottery Fund in November 2007. In April 2008, she walked from London to Beijing with other famous people as part of the Great Walk to Beijing to raise money for Olivia Newton-cancer John’s charity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toyah Willcox Still Married to Robert Fripp?
Toyah Willcox and her husband, Robert Fripp, are still married, according to reports. Furthermore, the couple married in 1986. In contrast, Robert Fripp is a founding member and guitarist for the progressive rock band King Crimson. Similarly, the couple has no children.
Where Is Toyah Willcox These Days?
Toyah Ann Willcox and her husband are currently in the United Kingdom. She is still active in the industry, having begun her career in 1977.
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