Windser is the stage name and indie-pop solo project of Jordan Topf, who began recording songs under the Windser moniker in spring 2020. Raised in Santa Cruz, California, Topf started playing guitar as a child and joined a garage band during his teenage years. He later moved east to attend college in New York City, only to return to the west coast after graduation. When the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the country in early 2020, he decamped to a house in the remote mountains of Northern California, which he turned into a makeshift recording studio. Laced with acoustic guitars and light percussion, his debut single "July" was released later that year, showcasing Topf's work as a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. Tracks like "Real Life," "Peach Fuzz," and "Trouble in Paradise" followed throughout 2021. Also appearing that year was "Next Year," a Macklemore track that featured Windser as a guest vocalist."Next Year" became a viral hit, earning more than eight million digital streams and helping pave the way for Windser's follow-up single, "Memory." Released in late 2021, the upbeat "Memory" became Windser's first song to chart in America, reaching Number 29 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and Number 33 on Rock Airplay.