Martina Topley-Bird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martina Topley-Bird
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Topley-Bird performing with Massive Attack at Conegliano in 2009
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| Birth name | Martina Gillian Topley |
| Born | 7 May 1975 St Pancras, London, England |
| Origin | Bristol, England |
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| Years active | 1993–present |
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Martina Gillian Topley-Bird (born 7 May 1975) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She is famous for her unique voice and for being a key part of the trip hop music scene. She first became known for singing on the debut album of the musician Tricky, called Maxinquaye (1995).
After working with Tricky on more albums, Topley-Bird started her own solo career. Her first album, Quixotic (2003), was a big success with critics. It was even nominated for the famous Mercury Prize. She has released several other solo albums, including The Blue God (2008) and Some Place Simple (2010).
Topley-Bird has also worked with many other famous artists. She sang on the Gorillaz album Demon Days (2005) and with the group Massive Attack on their album Heligoland (2010).
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Early Life
Martina Topley-Bird was born in London, England. Her father, Martin Geoffrey Topley, passed away before she was born, and she was named after him. Her mother is of Salvadoran and Seminole heritage, and her father was of African-American heritage. Martina grew up in a large family with many siblings and step-siblings.
When she was a child, her family moved to Bristol. She attended Clifton College, where she sang in the school choir and learned to play the piano. Growing up, she listened to many kinds of music, like R&B, opera, and soul. As a teenager, she became a fan of alternative rock bands like The Sugarcubes and Faith No More.
Music Career
Working with Tricky
In 1993, when Topley-Bird was a student at Clifton College, she was discovered by the musician Tricky. He heard her singing to herself while she was sitting on a wall near his home. They soon started making music together.
She became the main female singer on Tricky's first album, Maxinquaye (1995). Her vocals on the album were recorded very quickly and naturally, often in just one try. The album was a huge success and helped create the "trip hop" sound. Topley-Bird continued to work with Tricky on his next albums, including Nearly God (1996) and Pre-Millennium Tension (1996).
Solo Albums and Success
After her partnership with Tricky ended, Topley-Bird began her solo career. In 2003, she released her first album, Quixotic. The album was praised by music critics and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, a very important award in the UK. For its release in the United States, the album was renamed Anything and had a different track list.
Her second album, The Blue God, came out in 2008. It featured popular singles like "Carnies" and "Poison." Critics liked the album's unique sound, which mixed different styles like jazz, ska, and folk music.
In 2010, she released Some Place Simple. This album featured simpler, acoustic versions of her older songs, as well as four new tracks. Her most recent album, Forever I Wait, was released in 2021.
Working with Other Artists
Besides her solo work, Topley-Bird is famous for her many collaborations.
- She sang on the song "All Alone" on the Gorillaz album Demon Days (2005).
- She worked with Massive Attack on their album Heligoland (2010), singing on the songs "Psyche" and "Babel." She also toured the world with them.
- She sang on the title track of The Prodigy's album The Day Is My Enemy (2015).
- She has also worked with artists like Mark Lanegan, Warpaint, and the electronic musician Clark.
Personal Life
Topley-Bird had one daughter, Mina Mazy (1995–2019), with Tricky.
She has said that she is not religious but believes in having a healthy spiritual life. As of 2021, she was living in Valencia, Spain.
Discography
Albums
- Quixotic (2003)
- Anything (2004) (US version of Quixotic)
- The Blue God (2008)
- Some Place Simple (2010)
- Forever I Wait (2021)
Singles
- "Need One" (2003)
- "Anything" (2003)
- "I Still Feel" (2003)
- "Soul Food" (2004)
- "Carnies" (2008)
- "Poison" (2008)
- "Baby Blue" (2008)
- "Crystalised" (2013) (with Mark Lanegan and Warpaint)
- Solitude (2018)
- "Pure Heart" (2021)
- "Hunt" (2021)
Guest Appearances
- Tricky – on many songs from the albums Maxinquaye (1995), Nearly God (1996), Pre-Millennium Tension (1996), and Angels with Dirty Faces (1998).
- Primus – "Dirty Drowning Man" and "Coattails of a Dead Man" from Antipop (1999)
- David Holmes – "Outrun" and "Zero Tolerance" from Bow Down to the Exit Sign (2000)
- Diplo – "Into the Sun" from Florida (2004)
- Gorillaz – "All Alone" from Demon Days (2005)
- Common – "Everywhere" from Universal Mind Control (2008)
- Leila – "Deflect" and "Why Should I?" from Blood Looms and Blooms (2008)
- Massive Attack – "Babel" and "Psyche" from Heligoland (2010)
- Clark – "Open", "Secret" and "The Pining Pt. 2" from Iradelphic (2012)
- The Prodigy – "The Day Is My Enemy" from The Day Is My Enemy (2015)
- Tricky – "When We Die" (2016)
See also
In Spanish: Martina Topley-Bird para niños
