Mathangi Arulpragasam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mathangi Arulpragasam |
| Born | 18 July 1975 |
| Origin |  London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Labels |
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| Website | M.I.A.'s official website |
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (born 18 July 1975 in Hounslow, London) is a musician. She is best known by her stage name M.I.A. Her music style combines elements of alternative, hip-hop, dance, and electronic music.
M.I.A. graduated from Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design with a degree in fine art, film and video.
In 2000, she created the cover artwork for the Elastica album The Menace, and directed the music video for their single "Mad Dog God Dam." She also filmed a North American tour of Elastica.
She grew up the child of a Tamil revolutionary. In 2002, she published a book of art inspired by the Tamil rebellion and her childhood in Sri Lanka.
M.I.A. wrote and recorded several songs on a demo using a Roland MC 505, including the song "Galang". "Galang" was initially released in 2003 on the white-label Showbiz Recordings. It became popular with DJs and listeners.
M.I.A. signed to XL Recordings in 2004. The songs "Sunshowers" and "Galang" were re-released. Throughout 2004, online file-sharing of her two released singles as well as leaked promos of her upcoming debut album Arular increased her listening audience.
One of the first artists to break on the internet, M.I.A. ended 2004 making Piracy Funds Terrorism, a mash-up mixtape of Arular tracks produced by herself and DJ Diplo.
M.I.A. released her debut album, Arular, on March 22, 2005. She named the album after her father. The most popular song on Arular was "Galang". Included on the album is a hidden track called "M.I.A.". The listener hears nothing for a minute or two, then a new track starts playing. Arular sold over 100,000 copies.
Kala is M.I.A.'s second album; it released in August, 2007. It was this album that truly thrust M.I.A onto the charts.
"Paper Planes" was initially released for download in August 2007, and then as the album's third single by XL Recordings and Interscope Records on February 11, 2008. "Paper Planes" would soon become an international hit song, which would become the most well-known track on the album, and of M.I.A's career.
She gave birth to her son, Ikyhd, in February 2009.
Maya was the third album released by M.I.A.. It was released by Interscope Records on July 7, 2010.
Vicki Leekx was the fourth release by recording artist M.I.A.. Called a "mixtape", she released the album on December 31, 2010. It was only 36 minutes and 17 seconds long. Produced by Munchi, M.I.A., Diplo, Blaqstarr, Switch, Rusko, VIIXIIV, and Danja, it was considered a conceptual experimental mixtape. It received mixed reviews.
M.I.A. released Matangi, her fourth studio album, on November 1, 2013. The album's lead single, "Bad Girls", had released on January 31, 2012; a different version had been released earlier on her Vicki Leekx mixtape.
