M.I.A. is a rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. She is known for her flashy, colorful look and the frequent political themes from her songs.
M.I.A. Biography
Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, known by the stage name M.I.A., is a rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. She is also interested in visual arts and fashion. Her name is a reference to the acronym Missing in Action. Her style is extremely versatile. M.I.A. combines dance and electronic elements with hip-hop and world music. In 2004, the released two breakthrough singles and, already received an Academy Award nomination. Her most popular song is probably Paper Planes, from her second album Kala.
Early Life – Arular
M.I.A. was born in London but shortly after moved with her family to Sri Lanka. Her father was a political activist which influenced the singer’s artistry. Moreover, he went by the name Arular, which M.I.A used for her debut album. Eventually, the family moved back to London, when M.I.A. was 11 years old. The young artist graduated school in the late 90s and pursued a career in graphic design and cinematography. Picking up music as well, she first released her songs on the internet and became extremely appreciated. Therefore, in 2005 she released Arular.
Kala – Present
Therefore, in 2005 she released Arular, including the two hit singles, Galang and Sunshowers. The album received really good reviews and peaked at number 3 on the US Top Dance/Electronic Albums. Next up, in 2007 M.I.A released Kala, named after her mother. It was better quality-wise and included collaborations with Timbaland and Blaqstarr. Kala reached number 19 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, it made it into Rolling Stone‘s 100 best albums of the 2000s. The lead single, Paper Planes, received massive recognition and became one of the artist’s most emblematic songs.
Her third and fourth albums did not gain undeniable appreciation as the previous two. However, the latter spawned another timeless single, Bad Girls. Moreover, it featured a collaboration with The Weekend, titled Sexodus. In 2016, M.I.A released AIM, her fifth album. It contains heavily political themes, in songs such as Borders and Freedun.
Photo source: Discogs
