Martina Topley-Bird

Martina Topley-Bird
Topley-Bird Performing with Massive Attack at Conegliano in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Martina Gillian Topley
Born	(1975-05-07) 7 May 1975 (age 41) St Pancras, London, England
Origin	Bristol, London, England
Genres	Trip hop, indie pop, indie rock, alternative hip hop
Occupation(s)	Vocalist, songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, ukulele, bass, rainstick, drums, tambourine
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Independiente, Honest Jon's
Associated acts	Tricky, Massive Attack, Gorillaz, Danger Mouse, Mark Lanegan, Cath Coffey, Warpaint

Martina Gillian Topley-Bird (born Martina Gillian Topley; 7 May 1975) is an English vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who first gained fame as the featured female vocalist on trip hop pioneer Tricky's debut album, Maxinquaye (1995). She also worked with him on his subsequent albums Nearly God and Pre-Millennium Tension (1996). In 2003, Topley-Bird released her debut solo album, Quixotic, which was critically praised and earned her a Mercury Prize nomination.

This was followed by Anything (2004), The Blue God (2008), and Some Place Simple (2010). She has also collaborated with Gorillaz, appearing on their album Demon Days (2005), as well as with Mark Lanegan, Diplo, and Massive Attack on Heligoland (2010), which she followed by a world tour with the group. Her work has been sampled by such artists as Stephen Marley, Berry Weight, and The Weeknd.

Martina Topley-Bird was born in London, England to Charlette Conlon (née Pouncey), and Martin Geoffrey Topley, who died in 1974 before her birth; Martina was named after him. Her stepfather is British direct marketing specialist Drayton Bird, whose surname she adopted in addition to her father's. Her mother is of Salvadoran and Seminole Indian descent, while her father was of untraceable African American descent. Topley-Bird grew up in a large family, with five siblings and three step-siblings.