Martika

Marta Marrero, best known as Martika, was born on 18 May 1969 in Whittier, California. An American singer and actor of Cuban descent, she began her career in the entertainment industry with an uncredited role in the 1982 film Annie, which paved the way for her role as Gloria on the television program Kids Incorporated. Following this, she inked a recording contract with Columbia Records. Martika released her self-titled debut album in October 1988, reaching number 15 on the US Billboard 200. The LP included the worldwide hit "Toy Soldiers", which rose to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Other notable singles from the album include "More Than You Know" and Carole King cover "I Feel the Earth Move". Her second album, Martika's Kitchen, was released in August 1991 and featured the single "Love... Thy Will Be Done", which charted within the Billboard Hot 100. In 1992, Martika stepped away from the music industry, explaining burnout as the reason. She returned in 2000, forming the band Oppera with her husband, the Japanese-American musician Nikki. In 2005, her song "Toy Soldiers" was sampled by Eminem on his track "Like Toy Soldiers", crediting Martika as a songwriter.