M. Pokora facts for kids

Quick facts for kids M. Pokora
M. Pokora in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Matthieu Tota
Also known as	MP
Born	(1985-09-26) 26 September 1985 (age 39)
Origin	Strasbourg, France
Genres	Pop, R&B, dance
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, dancer
Years active	2003–present
Labels	EMI France Universal Music France
Associated acts	Linkup

Matthieu Tota (born September 26, 1985) is a French pop singer. He is better known by his stage name, M. Pokora. People love his catchy songs and smooth voice. M. Pokora mainly sings in French, but he has also recorded many songs in English. He was a coach on The Voice Kids France in 2016 and 2017. He also coached on The Voice: la plus belle voix in 2017. His team member, Lisandro Cuxi, won that season!

Early Life and Stage Name

Matthieu Tota's dad, André Tota, was a professional football player. Matthieu's parents divorced when he was 13. As a child, he went to school in different towns near Strasbourg. When he was younger, Matthieu really wanted to be a professional football player. But later, he decided to follow his passion for music instead.

Matthieu explained how he got his stage name, M. Pokora. He was looking for an artistic name. He was talking to his Polish grandmother about how important humility is. He asked her, "How do you say 'humility' in Polish?" She said, "pokora." Matthieu loved the word and decided to use it as his stage name right away! Before becoming famous, he was part of a French R&B group called Mic Unity.

Popstars and Linkup

In 2003, Matthieu took part in the TV show Popstars. This show looked for talented singers to form a new music group. Matthieu was a favorite with both the audience and the judges. He became a member of a boy band called Linkup. The band also included Lionel and Otis. Linkup won the show, beating a girl group called Diadems.

Linkup's first song, "Mon Étoile," was a big hit in France. Their first album, Notre Étoile, also did quite well. They even worked with the British boy band Blue on a song called "You & Me Bubblin'." However, Linkup soon broke up because their music wasn't selling as much anymore.

Solo Music Career

After Linkup broke up, Matthieu started working on his own music. He began his solo career in 2004.

First Albums: Matt Pokora and M. Pokora

At first, Matthieu used the stage name Matt Pokora. He released his first solo album called Matt Pokora. But in 2005, another French singer named Matt Houston sued him. So, Matthieu had to change his name. He became M. Pokora and re-released his album with the new name.

His first song as a solo artist, "Showbiz (The Battle)," was a Top 10 hit in France. His second song, Elle me contrôle, also did very well. M. Pokora won two NRJ Music Awards for this song! His album was certified gold, meaning it sold a lot of copies.

Player Album and Ricky Martin

M. Pokora performing in 2007

In 2006, M. Pokora released his second album, Player. This album went straight to number one in France! The first song from the album, "De retour," was very popular.

M. Pokora even got to work with the famous singer Ricky Martin! They made a French and English version of Ricky Martin's song "It's Alright." This song sold over 100,000 copies! To celebrate his success, M. Pokora went on a big tour called Player Tour. He performed in over 30 places in France, ending with a huge concert in Paris.

MP3 Album and International Success

After his Player Tour, M. Pokora wanted to make music for a global audience. He went to New York and worked with famous producers. His third album, MP3, came out in 2008. It had 14 songs, and 12 of them were in English! The album's name was a clever play on his initials (MP) and the fact that it was his third album.

The first song from MP3 was "Dangerous" and featured the American artist Timbaland. This song was a number one hit! The album did well not only in France but also in other countries like Finland, Germany, and Poland. He even won an award in Poland for "International Hip Hop Artist of the Year."

Mise À Jour / Updated Albums

M. Pokora's fourth album, Mise à jour, was released in 2010. The first song from this album, "Juste une photo de toi", was a big hit. In 2011, this song was chosen as "Song of the Year" at the NRJ Music Awards. M. Pokora was also named "French Male Artist of the Year."

To reach more fans around the world, he released an English version of the album called Updated in 2011. This album had English versions of his French hits. He also toured in France, Belgium, and Switzerland to promote his new music.

Recent Albums

• 2012: À la poursuite du bonheur

* This was M. Pokora's fifth studio album. The first song, "Juste un instant," was a hit. He went on a national tour to support this album.

• 2015: R.E.D.

* His sixth studio album, R.E.D. / Rythmes Extrêmement Dangereux, was released in February 2015.

• 2016: My Way

* M. Pokora's seventh album, My Way, came out in October 2016. It went straight to number one on the French Albums Chart!

• 2019: Pyramide

* His eighth album, Pyramide, was released in April 2019 and also topped the French charts.

• 2022: Epicentre

* M. Pokora's ninth album, Epicentre, was released in November 2022.

Acting Career

M. Pokora has also tried acting! In 2011, he voiced the main character, Duncan Rosenblatt, in the French version of the Cartoon Network movie Firebreather.

Robin des Bois Musical

In 2013, M. Pokora played the main role of Robin Hood in the French musical comedy Robin des Bois. The show started in Paris and then toured all over France. The musical's soundtrack was very popular, reaching number 3 on the French Albums Chart. M. Pokora sang two songs from the musical that became singles: "Le jour qui se rêve" and "À nous."

Personal Life

M. Pokora was affected by his parents' divorce but stayed very close to his mother. He lived with her before moving to Paris. His song "Sur ma route" is about his childhood experiences. He still keeps in touch with his father, who supports his career.

He is a huge football fan and always dreamed of playing professionally. He supports the French football club Olympique de Marseille. He often takes part in football events.

M. Pokora is good friends with his choreographer, Hakim Ghorab, and is the godfather to Hakim's daughter. He is also friends with the footballer Djibril Cissé and is godfather to one of his sons. M. Pokora even has a tattoo of the letter X as a tribute to Cissé, who makes an X sign when he scores a goal.

M. Pokora has been in a relationship with actress and singer Christina Milian since 2017. They got married in 2020 and have two sons together.

Charity Work

M. Pokora has always been a strong supporter of charity causes, especially those helping children and fighting HIV/AIDS.

• In 2004, he sang on a charity song called "Chanter qu'on les aime" to support a children's charity.
• In 2005, he was part of "Protège-toi," an AIDS charity song. He also sang in "Et puis la terre..." to help victims of the tsunami.
• In 2006, he sang in "L'Or de nos vies" for Fight Aids.
• In 2010, he covered Tracy Chapman's song "Talking About a Revolution" for an AIDS charity album.
• Since 2012, M. Pokora has been a member of Les Enfoirés, a famous charity group in France that raises money for people in need.

Tattoos

M. Pokora is famous for his many tattoos. Here are some of them:

• "POKORA" on his right arm, which means humility in Polish.
• "Only God Can Judge Me" on his right arm.
• Chinese calligraphy on his left shoulder, meaning "Creativity," "Peace," and "Patience," surrounded by a dragon.
• The letter M (for Matthieu) with colorful flames on his left arm.
• A tattoo on his calf that symbolizes dancing.
• An Arabic saying on his neck that means 'Say good things or keep silent'.
• "Ambition" in Chinese calligraphy on his lower back, with chains and two wings.
• The letter X on his right wrist, showing friendship, as a tribute to his friend Djibril Cissé.
• A star between his left thumb and forefinger.
• A star-flower near his left ear.

Discography

Albums

• 2003: Notre étoile (as a member of Linkup)
• 2004: M. Pokora
• 2006: Player
• 2008: MP3
• 2010 / 2011: Mise à jour / Updated / Mise à jour Version 2.0
• 2012: À la poursuite du bonheur
• 2013: À la poursuite du bonheur Tour – Live à Bercy
• 2015: R.E.D.
• 2016: My Way
• 2019: Pyramide
• 2022: Epicentre

DVDs

• 2005 "Un an avec M. Pokora"
• 2006 "Player Tour"
• 2007 "100% VIP"
• 2012 "A La Poursuite Du Bonheur Tour"
• 2015 "M.Pokora 10 ans de Carrière Symphonic Show "

Filmography

Tours

• 2006/2007 Player Tour
• 2008/2009 Catch Me Tour
• 2010/2011 Mise a jour Tour
• 2012 À la poursuite du bonheur – Tour 2012
• 2015 R.E.D Tour
• 2017 My way Tour
• 2019/2020 Pyramide Tour

Books

• 2006: M. Pokora – La révolution R&B
• 2006: Et je me souviens, Editions K&B
• 2008: M. Pokora vu par, Éditions Broché
• 2013: "De Mathhieu à Robin des Bois", Editions Dider Carpentier, by Cédric NAIMI
• 2014: "M.Pokora, La véritable histoire", by Jérémy Lapage

See also

In Spanish: M. Pokora para niños