Disabled disco innovator and singer Cola Boyy dies at 34

Well-known singer Matthew Urango, also known as Cola Boyy, unexpectedly passed away on March 17, 2024 at the age of 34. The cause of death has not been made official. Cola began his music journey in 2018 and released some singles along with an EP the same year which received a positive response from the public.

Cola Boyy's manager Jack Skills confirmed the news through an Instagram post on March 18. Skills added some photos of Urango and described him as a "larger than life personality." Jack further stated:

"He was also one of the most talented and down to earth people I've ever met. His humor and natural charisma endeared him to whoever he met. Matthew cared enormously for his family, friends and community which he often expressed through his music."

Skills revealed that Urango was working on another album which was complete and supposed to be released in summer this year.

The comments section of the post was flooded with tributes from Matthew's followers, with one of them calling him a "kind and gentle soul."

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Cola Boyy's debut album was released in 2021

Matthew Urango was diagnosed with a condition called spina bifida when he was born. In an interview with L.A. Taco in 2018, Matthew said that he joined a band called Sea Lions during the early 2000s.

He played with the band for eight years and soon developed an interest in pop music.

"What really got me into writing songs was this song called You've Got a Woman by the band Lion. And I was like, 'Wow. This song is so good. This music gets me. I want to make music like this.' So I broke away from Sea Lions and focused on my own project."

Cola Boyy was also an activist and worked with organizations such as APOC Oxnard and Todo Poder Al Pueblo. While speaking to Fader, he said that he had a friend named Matthew and to avoid any confusion, he decided to call himself Cola Boyy.

Urango was a victim of bullying during his childhood and was raised in Oxnard, California. He told Fader that he could play guitar, harmonica, keyboard, and a few other musical instruments. He even played with a few bands during his time at high school.

Among Urango's successful projects, his song Penny Girl was included in his first EP titled Black Boogie Neon. His debut album, Prosthetic Boombox, came out in June 2021 and he said that the name was inspired by his prosthetic leg. He explained:

"At the time when I came up with this name, I was resolving internal struggles and issues I went through when I was younger for being disabled. I was very angry, very upset at everyone and I was very self-conscious."

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Netizens pay tribute on various social media platforms

Cola Boyy became a popular face over the years for his flawless skills in music. His fans took to social media platform X (Twitter) to express their grief:

As of this writing, detailed information on Urango's survivors along with his personal life and educational background remain unknown.