Matthew Urango, indie singer, activist, 34

Cola Boyy, a California singer-songwriter who collaborated with MGMT and the Avalanches and advocated for people with disabilities, has died. He was 34.

Cola Boyy, who was born Matthew Urango, died Sunday at his home in Oxnard, Calif., his mother, Lisa Urango, said. No cause was given.

A self-described “disabled disco innovator,” Matthew Urango assembled diverse instruments to create a brimming mixture of funky rhythm and colorful sounds that accompanied his alluring voice, a striking balance of silk and chirp.

Mr. Urango was born with spina bifida, kyphosis, and scoliosis and had used a prosthetic leg since he was 2.

As Cola Boyy, he released a debut 2021 album, “Prosthetic Boombox,” that garnered millions of streams on Spotify and other platforms and boasted lively and introspective tunes such as “Don’t Forget Your Neighborhood,” a collaboration with indie pop group the Avalanches.

He used his burgeoning platform as an artist to speak out for social causes, including those related to people with disabilities.

“Not a lot of artists are visibly disabled,” he said in an interview with Tmrw magazine. “Society wants us to stay inside and to be timid and docile, and to not feel confident, or cool, or sexy.”

As Cola Boyy, he performed for audiences at major music festivals, including Coachella in 2019, where he appeared on a lineup that included Ariana Grande and Bad Bunny.

He was signed to French indie label Record Makers and collaborated with Mac DeMarco, MGMT, and others, according to his manager, Jack Sills.

Mr. Urango had been a community organizer who worked on issues in Oxnard’s agricultural and immigrant communities, Sills said.

Matthew Joseph Urango was born on Feb. 14, 1990, in Ventura County. He grew up in Oxnard, a largely Latino and working-class city on the Southern California coast.

In addition to his mother, Mr. Urango leaves his father, Joseph, and two brothers, Noah and Marcus, his twin.