2008 Woodie Awards
M.I.A. vocalizes messages with power
Jared Mogensen
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Intermission
- Page 1 of 2 next >
M.I.A. is coming with the power.
Anyone who hasn't heard of the British-born songstress yet is definitely missing the action.
Her music combines elements of hip hop, electronica, eastern and African tribal music, baile funk, reggae and more. All of these elements turn into a politically fueled call to arms for the entire world.
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, better known by her stage name, comes from Sri Lanka, where her father was one of the founding members of a freedom fighting organization called the Tigers.
Due to this fact, during Maya's childhood, she was forced to move around Sri Lanka and India with her mother and siblings. She had infrequent visits from her father, who was in hiding from the Sri Lankan army, until they finally settled in London.
London is where Maya, at 11-years-old, first began learning the English language and was exposed to Western music. Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A. and Public Enemy became some of her first influences in the hip hop world.
M.I.A. attended the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where she came into contact with musicians who were working with Elastica on cover art for the band's second album.
She then went on tour with the band, covering 40 American states, where she was introduced to synthesized beat making by the support act on the tour, Peaches.
When M.I.A. returned to London, she and Elastica member Justine Frischmann constructed a simple setup, a four-track recorder, a beat machine and a microphone.
She began working on an extended play comprised of six songs, two of which ended up on her first album titled "Arular."
She then brought the tape to XL Recordings, literally right down the street from her flat, and told them "Trust me, you've been looking for me." They called her back immediately, almost before she had time to leave the studio.
M.I.A.'s first single, "Galang," was released in 2004, the video for which featured multiple M.I.A.s dancing in front of a backdrop of her graffiti inspired artwork.
Anyone who hasn't heard of the British-born songstress yet is definitely missing the action.
Her music combines elements of hip hop, electronica, eastern and African tribal music, baile funk, reggae and more. All of these elements turn into a politically fueled call to arms for the entire world.
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, better known by her stage name, comes from Sri Lanka, where her father was one of the founding members of a freedom fighting organization called the Tigers.
Due to this fact, during Maya's childhood, she was forced to move around Sri Lanka and India with her mother and siblings. She had infrequent visits from her father, who was in hiding from the Sri Lankan army, until they finally settled in London.
London is where Maya, at 11-years-old, first began learning the English language and was exposed to Western music. Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A. and Public Enemy became some of her first influences in the hip hop world.
M.I.A. attended the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, where she came into contact with musicians who were working with Elastica on cover art for the band's second album.
She then went on tour with the band, covering 40 American states, where she was introduced to synthesized beat making by the support act on the tour, Peaches.
When M.I.A. returned to London, she and Elastica member Justine Frischmann constructed a simple setup, a four-track recorder, a beat machine and a microphone.
She began working on an extended play comprised of six songs, two of which ended up on her first album titled "Arular."
She then brought the tape to XL Recordings, literally right down the street from her flat, and told them "Trust me, you've been looking for me." They called her back immediately, almost before she had time to leave the studio.
M.I.A.'s first single, "Galang," was released in 2004, the video for which featured multiple M.I.A.s dancing in front of a backdrop of her graffiti inspired artwork.