N°82 M.I.A. - PAPER PLANES

M.I.A. stands for the multi-artist Mathangi Arulpragasam. This London based artist isn’t just a singer songwriter but apart from that she’s a model, producer, photographer, filmmaker, painter and fashion designer. Multi talented she is for sure.

Although she started off as a filmmaker but quickly changed her focus on electronic, alternative music bringing her first album in 2004. It was called Arular (after her father) and was a little succes in Scandinavia, Belgium, Japan and the USA. It combines a few different styles and had problems being released in most countries because of the use of different samples. That is also why the UK release differs from the US release. The album contains her first two singles ‘Sunshowers’ and ‘Galang’ which were released earlier.

Her best known song, which I’ve posted here, is ‘Paper Planes’ and can be found on her 2007 album ‘Kala’. This album was named after her mothers first name. Paper Planes became a world wide hit and M.I.A. became a superstar. She released one more album in 2009 and a brand new one should follow this summer.Two albums which evolve a bit more than the first two since you’ll find her music much more layered than earlier in her career. On the 2009 album  at least that is.

M.I.A. also causes controversy. She has her roots in Sri Lanka through her father and both are activists agains the Sri Lankian regime blocking the rights of Tamil people. On a regular base she’s fighting with different media while she struggles for equal rights for all races. She stads up against certain political views and performing during half time in this year’s superbowl she caused trouble when showing her middlefinger instead of singing the lyrics ‘shit’in the song. A word the american television would bleep away for sure. M.I.A.’s reaction to censorship. She’s also a frequent user of multimedia such as Twitter, You Tube, … to discuss her different views on the world.

She’s won quite a few awards in the music industry but she’s was also nominated in “The worlds 100 most interesting people” in 2007 and “The top 100 most influential people” in 2009. M.I.A. is not just an artist; she’s much much more.

The song Paper Planes was created when recording her second album in the USA and it should relate to what immigrants in the USA are put through trying to get in the country. She also had that problem getting in the country for recording her album because she had visa problems. Problems she didn't understand since she had no intention in 'flying an aeroplane into a large building'. (aero)Planes are also the missing link with the Jefferson song.

Have fun listening.