You might know M.I.A. from her mega hits like “Paper Planes” and “Bad Girls”, or her giving a particular gesture to the millions of viewers of the Superbowl, but there’s a lot more to Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, the West London-born, Sri-Lankan raised artist than you might expect.
Her father was a founding member of the Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students, a political Tamil group and for 11 years. Maya was subject to displacement and risk in Jaffna, Sri Lanka due to an ongoing conflict between Tamils and the Sri Lankan Army.
Even though her father did not like it, the first album was named Arular, after him. The second is Kala, after her mother, then Maya and Matangi, her names.
She counts Wikileaks founder and political prisoner Julian Assange as a friend, he’s even appeared via Skype at her concerts.
She provided vocals for his first album and they lived together. Later she dated millionaire and occasional musician Ben Bronfman and had a child with him, named Ikhyd.
In addition to Sri Lanka and UK, she has lived in several parts of Africa, Beverly Hills, and New York City. She has been restricted from many countries, had visas denied, and citizenships revoked. None of 2007’s album Kala was recorded stateside because she was refused a long-term work visa.
Her interviews are funny but ultimately, like her music, deeply referential and political.
It was a song about her frustration with the immigration process in America.
Guests include The Wilcannia Mob, Afrikan Boy, Diplo and more.
The album was a catalyst for political conversation as much as it was a dance album.
As summer comes to an end, move in day at St. John's University is quickly approaching! Are you prepared? It…
There’s little doubt among the students at the University of North Carolina Charlotte that we go to the best school…
As with most universities, there are certain items that are just not allowed in the dorm rooms on campus. The…
Freshman year is both exciting and intimidating. I am so happy that I decided to choose Fredonia State to embrace…
As a relatively small university, the University of Miami has five residential colleges and the University Village. First year students…
Not only is JMU surrounded by beautiful mountains, it is also surrounded by different small towns that are full of…