Martika (album)

Martika is the debut studio album by singer-songwriter Martika, released on October 18, 1988, through CBS Records.

Background
The album marked the solo debut for Martika, and spawned the American #1 single "Toy Soldiers". The song is about drug addiction, but can sound like a break-up ballad. The song was later sampled by rapper Eminem for his 2004 song "Like Toy Soldiers" featuring Martika as the chorus singer. Songs that charted internationally included "More Than You Know", "Water", and "I Feel the Earth Move", a Carole King cover that cracked the American Top 25. Stylistically the music was strictly pop, despite exploring some adult topics lyrically. "Water" is partially sung in Spanish, a homage to Martika's Cuban ancestry. Other songs were re-recorded fully in Spanish for international release.

Although this was the album Martika attempted to break away from her Kids Incorporated image, she did have four of her former castmates sing the "children's chorus" of "Toy Soldiers".

The album was successful in the U.S.; it managed to peak at #15 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA, making it her best-selling album to date. The album peaked at #11 in the United Kingdom, containing three top 20 singles there. In the UK, the song "Cross My Heart" had already been a top 20 hit for the band Eighth Wonder a year previously, whilst Big Fun pulled their planned single release of "I Feel the Earth Move" shortly before Martika's release.

Personnel

 * Martika – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 5, 8, 9, 10), shaker (10), arrangements (10), vocal arrangements
 * Greg Smith – keyboards (1, 4, 6), arrangements (1)
 * Claude Gaudette – additional keyboards (1, 6), keyboards (2, 7), drum programming (2, 5, 7), arrangements (2, 5, 7)
 * Brad Cole – additional keyboards (2), keyboards (3, 8), synth horns (5), arrangements (8)
 * Marvin Morrow – keyboards (3, 9), drum programming (3), arrangements (9)
 * Mitchell Kaplan – keyboards (10)
 * Mark Leggett – guitars (1-5, 7, 8, 9)
 * Don Kirkpatrick – guitars (6)
 * David Macias – guitars (10)
 * Marc Jones – bass (10)
 * Michael Jay – drum programming (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9), backing vocals (1), vocal arrangements (1-9), arrangements (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10)
 * Christopher Ainsworth – drum programming (7)
 * Omar Martinez – drums (10)
 * Paulinho da Costa – percussion (5, 7, 9)
 * Michael Mattioli – saxophone (10)
 * Michael Cruz – backing vocals (1)
 * Davey Faragher – backing vocals (1)
 * Clif Magness – backing vocals (1)
 * Rick Jude Palombi – backing vocals (1, 3, 6, 7)
 * Donna De Lory – backing vocals (3, 6)
 * Niki Haris – backing vocals (3)
 * Stacy Ferguson – backing vocals (4)
 * Marlen Landin – backing vocals (4)
 * Kimberly McCullough – backing vocals (4)
 * Jennifer Love Hewitt - backing vocals (4)
 * Rahsaan Patterson – backing vocals (4, 7, 10)
 * Devyn Puett – backing vocals (4)
 * Renee Sands – backing vocals (4)
 * Alitzah Wiener – backing vocals (4)
 * Mona Lisa Young – backing vocals (6)
 * Laura Creamer – backing vocals (7)
 * Mendy Lee – backing vocals (7)
 * Sue Sheridan – backing vocals (7)

Production

 * Michael Jay – producer
 * Michael McDonald – engineer, mixing (1-4, 6, 9, 10)
 * Peter Arata – assistant engineer
 * Ric Butz – assistant engineer
 * John Hegedes – assistant engineer
 * Greg Loskorn – assistant engineer
 * Karen Siegel – assistant engineer
 * Russ Iadevaia – lead vocal recording (2)
 * Keith "KC" Cohen – mixing (5, 8)
 * Brian Malouf – mixing (7)
 * Garden Rake Studios (Sherman Oaks, California) – mixing location
 * Larrabee Sound Studios (North Hollywood, California) – mixing location
 * Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California)
 * Nancy Donald – art direction
 * Tony Lane – art direction
 * Arnold Levine – art direction
 * David Coleman – design
 * Alberto Tolot – photography