Soledad Toledo: Weaving Roots and Dreams Into Sound
Soledad “Sol” Toledo’s journey from Argentine folklore stages to Hollywood studios is a story of passion and purpose — where tradition meets innovation, and every melody tells a piece of her soul’s evolution.
When Soledad Toledo, aka Sol, speaks about music, her words carry the quiet confidence of someone who has never doubted her path. “There was no turning point at all,” she reflects. “I’ve known it my entire life. It was simply a given.” Born and raised in northern Argentina, Sol’s journey from folklore dance lessons to the stages of Los Angeles has been nothing short of extraordinary — a story of cultural roots, international ambition, and an unwavering devotion to the art of sound.
A Childhood Shaped by Music and Folklore
For Sol, music was not a discovery but an inheritance. “My parents used to dance a traditional Argentinian dance called ‘Folklore,’ and sent me to dance lessons for eight or nine years,” she recalls. “But growing up, I’ve always been singing. At 12, they sent me to guitar lessons. At 13, we added piano and singing classes. By fifteen years old, my second half of the day was all about learning music at the Academy in town.”
This immersion gave her not only technical skills but a foundation deeply tied to Argentina’s cultural identity. She describes her beginnings as “filled with folklore music,” listening at home to legends like Mercedes Sosa and Natalia Barrionuevo. At the same time, she was drawn to international voices — Troye Sivan, Bon Iver, and independent folk artists. “Growing up with dance made me feel the music from my roots strongly,” she explains. “Today I find it impossible to separate it from anything I write.”
From Córdoba to Boston: The Berklee Leap
After earning her first degree in Composition, Arrangement and Production in Córdoba in 2018, Sol never imagined that Berklee College of Music would be her next stop. “It was unexpected,” she admits. A one-week intensive in Chile opened the door. “I’d never heard of Berklee before that. But even then, I applied and auditioned simply because I didn’t have anything to lose. The immense support of my parents pushed me to. They are the reason I went to that school, and the reason why I’m still doing music today. I owe them absolutely everything.”
Sol was accepted with a scholarship and moved to Boston, where she immersed herself in Film and Media Scoring, graduating in May 2023. “The good thing about Berklee is that you learn the job,” she says. “I came out of there knowing how to speak to people, how to present myself, how to manage my time, how to market and sell what I do. I learned art and craft, and the huge difference between them.”
Film and Media Scoring: From Netflix to Festivals
Sol’s portfolio in film composition reflects both versatility and ambition. Her first large-scale project came during the pandemic: scoring Virgilio, a culinary documentary about world-renowned Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez, directed by Alfred Oliveri and later released on Netflix Latin America.
“I composed over 30 minutes of music for that documentary,” she explains. “It was my first big project, and it was absolutely incredible.” Beyond composing, Sol mixed and mastered the music and prepared all the cues for delivery.
Her work helped elevate the intimate yet globally resonant story of Martínez’s culinary vision, weaving textures of Andean rhythms and contemporary instrumentation to mirror the chef’s blend of tradition and innovation. The film’s success was reinforced when it earned recognition at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards in 2024, a testament to the impact of Sol’s score.
Her credits also include co-scoring the short film Devoted (directed by Ki Ozberkmen), a moving exploration of love and resilience, and Subsequent to (directed by Madison Mitchell), which recently began its festival run. For these projects, she demonstrated her ability to adapt — whether crafting intimate piano motifs for quiet character-driven moments or larger, more experimental soundscapes for surreal narratives.
Animation projects have also played a role in her development. Unlike documentaries, where she often responds to director’s references, animation invites a freer, more collaborative process. “Sometimes the animatics prompt me to write something specific, and some sounds inspire them to animate a moment a certain way,” she explains. This reciprocity between sound and image is one of the hallmarks of her style.
A Voice of Her Own: Singer-Songwriter Work
Parallel to her film work, Sol has built an intimate and striking catalogue as a singer-songwriter. Her songs, written in both Spanish and English, range from deeply personal reflections to socially conscious critiques.
Her track Sempiterno, produced with Vikrum Goel, captures the ethereal ache of waiting for a love that will never arrive. With its delicate guitar textures and swelling vocals, the song is described by Sol as “whimsical love and how unreal it feels to wait for someone that will never come.”
Taza de Té, a collaboration with guitarist Nelson Scalici, takes on heavier themes, addressing the importance of consent and the devastating aftermath of sexual assault. The song’s restrained instrumentation lets the lyrics breathe, turning it into both a lament and an act of resistance.
Her earlier release Hija de Saturno channels folkloric rhythms while exploring the idea of karma — remaining true to one’s principles even when betrayed or harmed. Born With It flips the lens outward, critiquing “pretty privilege” in society and particularly within the entertainment industry. With sharp lyricism and biting honesty, Sol exposes the subtle yet powerful inequalities that shape careers and opportunities.
Perhaps most personal are Súplica and Días, where Sol confronts depression and suicidal thoughts she experienced in earlier years. “Those are the most special lyrics I’ve written,” she admits. She is currently planning English versions of both songs to expand their reach and impact.
Collectively, her catalogue showcases not only her versatility but her courage: she sings of love, loss, trauma, resilience, and social truth with equal intensity. “I don’t like to do things lightly,” she insists. “Each sound, and each musical decision is entirely deliberate.”
Collaborations with Industry Leaders
Her trajectory in Los Angeles has also brought her into the orbit of influential figures. At the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive (LAFCI), led by Angel Vélez, Sol worked behind the scenes to help international musicians access world-class training. She handled everything from recruiting musicians and processing scholarships to preparing click tracks and managing music libraries during workshops at Warner Bros. Studios.
“With Suzanne Lloyd from Harold Lloyd Entertainment,” she adds, “I’m mainly drafting emails to orchestras all around the US to book her grandfather’s movies, for orchestras to perform the music live along with the film. We’re still in the earlier stages, but I’m pretty sure I’ll become busier as we start booking shows.”
These collaborations not only broaden her professional network but also position her at the crossroads of contemporary media scoring and Hollywood’s historical legacy.
Cultural Roots, Global Reach
Whether scoring films or writing songs, Sol carries her Argentinian identity into every note. “It is very hard to pick a language when I write,” she says. “It depends on what I want to say, and how do I want to say it. The music part of it remains my own — a mixture of all my influences, with my roots being the strongest element.”
Though she often writes in Spanish, her upcoming projects are all in English. “I do like touching on my Argentinian traditional rhythms when I write, but I’ve also added my own, special touch. A bit of a fusion of those ancient rhythms with my own modern style.”
Looking Ahead
In 2025, Sol is balancing festival-bound film projects with new music releases. “I’m now working on the next few songs to be released before the end of this year,” she reveals. “They are all in English, and I’m in the middle of production. The lyrics and melodies are locked, and all that’s left is recording instruments and finalizing production.”
Whether released as singles or as a cohesive EP, these new works represent an important evolution in her artistry — a chance to merge her roots with an increasingly international perspective, and to claim her space as both composer and performer.
A Message to the Next Generation
When asked what advice she has for aspiring artists, her response is as heartfelt as her lyrics:
“Please, don’t ever give up. Some days it’s going to feel as though there’s no point in continuing it, but that’s just a sign for you to stop that day, only. Sleep it off, let it germinate, and come back to it when you’re ready. All good things make themselves wait, so be patient, and never take it for granted. An amazing thing will always come out of something done from love.”
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