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United States Matthew Urango, known as Cola Boyy, was an American musician and disability activist who blended disco, pop, and funk to create a unique sound while advocating for disability rights and his community.
Mariangela x Cola Boyy “Frágil” — A queen of cultural fusion, Mariangela blends genres and barriers with her bilingual, genre-defying sound.
The singer and multi-instrumentalist carried on a career that saw him collaborating with major artists inspired by disco and dance music. Cola Boyy announced his debut album "Prosthetic Boombox", alongside revealing The Avalanches collaboration "Don't Forget Your Neighborhood" as the lead single.
Cola Boyy, a California singer-songwriter who collaborated with the rock band MGMT and the Indie pop group the Avalanches and advocated for people with disabilities. Cola Boyy has shared a new track called 'Kid Born in Space' featuring MGMT.
The video for the song The Foundation, by French musician and co-founder of the band Air, Nicolas Godin, in collaboration with Cola Boyy, provokes a sci-fi experience.
Cola Boyy released his debut EP "Black Boogie Neon" in September 2018. The debut Cola Boyy album, "Prosthetic Boombox", was released by the French label Record Makers in June 2021. The second and final Cola Boyy album, "Quit To Play Chess", was released on May 23, 2025 on Record Makers.
Matthew Joseph Urango, known professionally as Cola Boyy, was born on February 14, 1990, in Ventura County, California. From birth, he lived with spina bifida, kyphosis, scoliosis, and a club foot, and later used a prosthetic leg. Urango, who identified as Afro-Latino, taught himself to play piano as a child and began his musical journey playing in punk bands in high school, performing his first backyard show at 17. After high school, he faced discrimination in his search for employment due to his disability, working briefly at Walmart until health issues forced him to leave. Before his solo career, Urango played second guitar for the indie pop band Sea Lions.
Cola Boyy launched his professional music career with the release of his debut single “Penny Girl” in July 2018, followed by “Buggy Tip” in August 2018. His debut EP, “Black Boogie Neon,” released in September 2018, was conceptualized as a soundtrack for a fictional club for disabled people, embodying his message of inclusivity and self-acceptance. The video for his song “Beige 70” further highlighted this theme by featuring a diverse cast of club-goers. His unique musical style, which combined disco, soul, kraut, and pop, quickly gained recognition within the indie music scene. In 2019, Cola Boyy’s growing reputation led to performances at Pitchfork Paris and an invitation to perform at Coachella on the Sonara stage.
Urango was also a dedicated disability rights activist and was involved in various community organizations. He collaborated with prominent artists such as The Avalanches and MGMT, releasing the single “We Go On” with The Avalanches in 2020 and “Kid Born in Space” with MGMT in 2021, a song reflecting his experiences as a disabled person. His debut album, “Prosthetic Boombox,” released in June 2021, received positive reviews from publications like Paste and The Guardian, solidifying his presence in the music world. Urango’s final album, “Quit to Play Chess,” was released posthumously on May 23, 2025, following his passing on March 17, 2024, at the age of 34.
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