Matthew Urango was Cola Boyy’s real name, and he sang and made his own style of disco music.
He spoke out for people with disabilities since he was born with spina bifida.
The California singer-songwriter Cola Boyy died at his home in Oxnard, Calif. He worked with the rock band MGMT and the Indie pop group the Avalanches and spoke out for disabled people. He was 34 years old.
Lisa Urango, his mother, confirmed that he had died but did not say what caused it. His spine was twisted, and he had kyphosis and scoliosis from birth. He has had a prosthetic leg since he was 2 years old.
Cola Boyy, whose real name is Matthew Urango, called himself a “disabled disco innovator.” He put together a wide range of instruments to make a funky rhythm and colorful sounds that went well with his unique voice, which was a beautiful mix of silk and chirp.
His first album, “Prosthetic Boombox,” came out in 2021 and has been streamed millions of times on Spotify and other sites. It had both upbeat and upbeat songs, like “Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood,” which was a collaboration with the Avalanches.
Mr. Urango used his growing fame as an artist to speak out for social causes, such as those that help disabled people.
In an interview with TMH magazine, he said, “Not many artists are obviously disabled.” “The world wants us to stay inside, be shy and quiet, and not feel cool, confident, or sexy.”
As Cola Boyy, he played at big music festivals, like Coachella in 2019 with Ariana Grande and Bad Bunny.
His manager, Jack Sills, said that he was signed to the French independent label Record Makers and had worked with other artists, such as the Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Mac DeMarco.
Mr. Sills said that Mr. Urango had been a community organizer who worked on issues in Oxnard’s farming and immigrant communities.
Killing in the Name of Matthew is the first episode of Season 2 of “House of the Dragon.” He was born in Ventura County on February 14, 1990. Oxnard is a mostly Latino and working-class city on the coast of Southern California where he grew up. The city is known for the large farms that are close by.
He taught himself to play a lot of different tools. In an interview with The Fader that came out in 2018, he said that his first instrument was a “little kid drum set.” He also said that he had later learned to play the piano and guitar.
A vigil was held in an Oxnard alleyway the day after he died, and his mother said that a lot of people came to mourn. Flower arrangements and candles were spread out on the ground, and the words “RIP COLA BOYY” were written in spray paint on the wall above.
Brother Marcus, brother Noah, and father Joseph Urango are the people left behind by Mr. Urango, along with his mother.
Mr. Sills said that Mr. Urango joined Oxnard’s thriving punk scene as a teenager and played in a number of bands. His first job was in an indie pop band called Sea Lions, which played shows all over the world before he went solo.
There was a lot of talk about how important his hometown was in the Fader interview.
He said, “The people I grew up with and the people I hang out with now are real people who’ve been through a lot.” “They’re very strong.”
