Martika

American singer and actress Martika is best known as the voice behind the chart-topping "Toy Soldiers" from her 1988 self-titled debut. After the release of her sophomore album Martika's Kitchen, she left music behind for over a decade, returning in 2003 with the Oppera project. She later had a minor resurgence in 2004 when Eminem sampled "Toy Soldiers" on 2004's Encore.

Martika was born Marta Marrero in Whittier, California, on May 18, 1969 to Cuban parents. She started acting before launching a recording career, appearing in the film version of Annie (1982), Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984), and on the TV series Kids Incorporated from 1984 to 1986. In October 1988, she released her self-titled debut album, which hit the Top 20 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and across Europe. Martika's first single, "More Than You Know," was a modest chart hit in the U.S. and U.K. It wasn't until January 1989, when the album's second single "Toy Soldiers" hit the airwaves, that she truly had a smash on her hands. The track peaked at number one in the U.S. and New Zealand, and was a Top 10 hit around the world, going on to become her most recognizable and enduring song.

On her second LP, 1991's Martika's Kitchen, she was joined by Prince, Clivillés and Cole, and others, incorporating genres such as gospel, funk, and Cuban music to her teen pop sound. That set yielded the singles "Love...They Will Be Done" and the title track. Soon after, she left the music industry and wouldn't return until 2003 when she formed the band Oppera with Michael Mozart. The group released Violince in 2004. That same year, Eminem sampled "Toy Soldiers" for his hit "Like Toy Soldiers," which introduced a new generation to Martika. Renewed interest resulted in a repackage of her greatest hits compilation, while another Oppera effort kept her busy through 2005.

Into the 2010s, she continued to perform and act, touring with various '80s nostalgia package tours. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Michael Sutton