Matt Toka was born in Youngstown, Ohio. Growing up in an abusive home, musi… Read Full Bio ↴Matt Toka was born in Youngstown, Ohio. Growing up in an abusive home, music was Toka's escape from it all. He started playing guitar when he was 12, and also played in a couple bands that didn't rise farther than the local scene. Toka, however, couldn't wait to leave Ohio.
After graduating high school, he started a group called Cherry Monroe and worked to get heard. The band gained a huge following and got signed by Universal Records. The band was unfortunately dropped from the label a year later. Toka sunk to rock bottom quickly, losing his full-time gig, watching his parents divorce, and two of his family members were placed in prison.
He took off to Los Angeles for a fresh start, going from performing to thousands of people, to playing an acoustic guitar on Hollywood Boulevard.
Inspired by the storytelling of Bob Dylan, Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, and Billie Joe Armstrong, he locked himself in my one-room studio apartment and started writing about all that he'd gone through. He was beginning to find his voice as a songwriter.
Once he regained his footing, he started spreading music—both covers and originals—on YouTube. He started catching on, and it wasn't long before he landed his second record deal. Producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance) agreed to produce his first album, titled "Straight To Hell."
It is unclear whether Toka is still signed, but he is currently releasing singles, including the popular, "Say 10" and "666." Toka's latest track is titled "Ode To My Family."