Martika facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martika
Martika in a promotional image, 1991
Background information
Birth name	Marta Marrero
Also known as	Martika
Born	(1969-05-18) May 18, 1969 (age 56) Whittier, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop, dance-pop, pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	1982–1992, 2000–present
Labels	Columbia Records Dunda Chief Records
Associated acts	Oppera, Prince

Marta Marrero (born May 18, 1969), known as Martika, is an American singer and actress. She became famous as an actress on the TV show Kids Incorporated from 1984 to 1986.

After the show, Martika signed with Columbia Records. In 1988, she released her first album, Martika. This album was very popular. It included the hit song "Toy Soldiers", which reached number one in the US. The song also did well in other countries. Other songs from the album, like "More Than You Know" and "I Feel the Earth Move", were also successful. Her first album sold over three million copies worldwide.

Her second album, Martika's Kitchen (1991), was not as big as her first. However, it had popular songs like "Love... Thy Will Be Done" and "Martika's Kitchen". These songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album sold over one million copies around the world. In 1992, Martika stopped making music. She felt tired from fame and needed a break.

She returned to music in 2000. She started a band called Oppera with her husband, Nikki. In 2005, the rapper Eminem used parts of her song "Toy Soldiers" in his song "Like Toy Soldiers". Martika was given credit as a songwriter for this. In 2012, she released a new solo song called "Flow With the Go". She had planned a third album, but it was not released due to personal reasons.

Early Life and Family

Martika was born in Whittier, California. Her parents were from Cuba and had family from the Canary Islands.

Career Highlights

Starting with Kids Incorporated (1982–1988)

Martika began her career in show business in 1982. She had a small role as a dancer in the movie Annie. This led to her being cast as Gloria on the children's TV show Kids Incorporated. On the show, she was part of a group of kids who sang and performed. During the second season, she started using her stage name, Martika.

Martika and other Kids Incorporated cast members also appeared in the motivational video Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! in 1984. After her time on these shows, Martika signed with Columbia Records. Her first solo song, "We are Music", was released only in Japan to promote Sony cassette tapes.

Becoming Famous with Martika (1988–1991)

Her first album, Martika (1988), reached number fifteen on the US Billboard 200 album chart. The album featured the very successful song "Toy Soldiers". Martika wrote this song with her producer, Michael Jay. It became a top-5 hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Australia. In the US, "Toy Soldiers" was number one for two weeks in 1989. The song also reached number one in New Zealand. "Toy Soldiers" tells a serious story, often understood as a message about struggles.

Two more songs from Martika also became hits in the United States. "More Than You Know" reached number 18, and "I Feel the Earth Move" reached number 25. "I Feel the Earth Move" is a cover of a song by Carole King. Both songs also did well on dance charts and in the UK. "I Feel the Earth Move" was a top 10 hit in Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. A fourth song, "Water", also charted in the UK and Australia. "Water" includes some Spanish lyrics, honoring Martika's Cuban background.

The album Martika sold over 500,000 copies in the United States. It was also very popular in the UK and Australia. Overall, Martika has sold over three million copies worldwide.

Martika's Kitchen and Break from Music (1991–2000)

Prince helped write and produce songs for Martika's Kitchen.

In 1991, Martika worked with the famous musician Prince. Together, they created her second US Top-10 hit, "Love... Thy Will Be Done". This song also became a Top-10 hit in the UK and reached number one in Australia. "Love... Thy Will Be Done" started as a prayer Martika wrote, which Prince then turned into a song.

Her second album, Martika's Kitchen, reached number 111 on the Billboard Top Albums chart in the US. The main song from the album, "Martika's Kitchen", reached number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the album was more successful in other countries. It reached number 15 in the UK and number 9 in Australia. Other popular songs from the album included "Coloured Kisses".

In 1992, Martika decided to step away from the music industry. She felt overwhelmed by fame and needed a break. In 1997, a collection of her greatest hits, The Best of Martika: More Than You Know, was released.

Returning to Music with Oppera (2000–2011)

In the early 2000s, Martika sang backup for other artists. In 2003, Martika and her husband, Michael Mozart, formed a band called Oppera. They released their first album, Violince, in 2004.

In 2004, the rapper Eminem used a part of Martika's hit song "Toy Soldiers" for his song "Like Toy Soldiers". This song was on his album Encore. Martika was credited as one of the songwriters for Eminem's song. Because of this, Martika's greatest hits album in the UK was re-released with the new title Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika.

Oppera released a second album in 2005. In 2010, Martika also appeared in a web-based TV show called J8ded.

Mirror Ball and Touring (2011–Present)

In 2011, Martika launched a new personal website. In 2012, she released "Flow With the Go", her first solo song in many years. This song was meant to be the first single from her third album, Mirror Ball. However, the album was not released due to a sad personal event.

Martika performed in 2014 at a festival in Chile with other famous artists like Debbie Gibson and Rick Astley. In July 2016, she was part of the "Totally 80s Tour" in Australia. She performed with seven other international acts from the 1980s. Martika received good reviews for her performances. She said that touring was a new experience for her, as she had not performed her songs in about 25 years. She enjoyed "waking the songs up" again.

Discography

• Martika (1988)
• Martika's Kitchen (1991)

Filmography

Personal Life

As of 2016, Martika lived in Dayton, Ohio, with her musician husband. She focused on her married life.

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Martika para niños