Martina Topley-Bird

Quixotic

Martina Gillian Topley was born on May 7, 1975 in St Pancras, London, grew up in Bristol and later added Bird, her stepfather's surname. She has been active since 1993 as a singer who also plays guitar, keyboards, ukulele, bass and drums. Maxinquaye, recorded in 1994 mostly at Tricky's home studio in Kilburn, was released on February 20, 1995 on 4th & B'way, an Island subsidiary, and most of her vocals were one take, which she called totally instinctive.

Quixotic came out on Independiente in the UK on July 14, 2003, running 51:11 and produced by Topley-Bird, Amp 9, David Holmes and Tricky; it reached 70 in the UK and 58 in France. The Blue God followed on May 12, 2008, and Some Place Simple, produced by Damon Albarn and Topley-Bird, on Honest Jon's on July 20, 2010: eleven stripped-down versions of earlier songs, recorded and mixed at Albarn's studio over about three weeks in early 2010. She performed Maxinquaye live at Sundance Festival in London in April 2012.