M.I.A.

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam MBE, known by her stage name M.I.A., is a British rapper and singer. Her music combines elements of alternative, dance, electronic, hip hop and world music with electric instruments and samples.

Personally, M.I.A. came at a very important moment in my life. She is a gifted song wrtier, creative director, artist, vocalist, and rapper. And her music has been an integral part of my life for about fifteen years. Additionally, she is heavily into activism in a number of forms and I have always appreciated when an artist uses their position to effect real change in a positive way on the planet.

Birth name - Mathangi Arulpragasam

Nickname - M.I.A., Maya

Birthplace - Hounslow, London, England, UK

Ethnicity - Asian, of Tamil Sri Lankan descent

Heigh - 5' 5"

Weight - 138 lbs

Date of birth - July 18, 1975

Age - 47

Zodiac sign - Cancer

Hair color - Dark Brown

Eye color - Brown

RANDOM FACTS

- Her stage name M.I.A. stands for "Missing In Action", a military term.

- Her debut studio album, Arular, was released on March 22, 2005, and it was placed at number #3 in the US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) chart, at number #8 in UK Independent Albums (OCC) chart, and at number #16 in US Independent Albums (Billboard) chart.

- On February 8, 2009, M.I.A. performed at the Grammys and 3 days later, she gave birth to her first child.

- She has credited Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A., and Roxanne Shante as a few of her early influences.

- She has dyslexia.

- M.I.A. was honored as the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for her contributions to music.

- M.I.A. studied at the Holy Family Convent, Jaffna as well as at Ricards Lodge High School in Wimbledon. She also attended Central Saint Martins before graduating from London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design with a degree in Fine Art, Film, and Video in 2000.

DISCOGRAPHY

STUDIO ALBUMS

Arular
Released: 22 March 2005
Label: XL
Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Kala
Released: 8 August 2007
Label: XL, Interscope
Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Maya
Released: 7 July 2010
Label: N.E.E.T., XL, Interscope
Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Matangi
Released: 1 November 2013
Label: N.E.E.T., Interscope
Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

AIM
Released: 9 September 2016
Label: Interscope
Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Mata
Released: 14 October 2022
Label: Island
Formats: digital download, streaming

MIXTAPES

Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume I
Released: December 2004
Format: CD

Vicki Leekx
Released: 31 December 2010
Format: Digital download

EPs

Live Session (iTunes Exclusive)
Released: December 2004
Format: CD

How Many Votes Fix Mix
Released: 28 October 2008
Label: XL
Formats: 12" vinyl, digital download

SINGLES

Galang - 2003
Sunshowers - 2004
Hombre - 2005
Bucky Done Gun - 2005
Bird Flu - 2006
Boyz - 2007
Jimmy - 2007
Paper Planes - 2008
Born Free - 2020
XXXO - 2010
Steppin Up - 2010
Teqkilla - 2010
Tell Me Why - 2010
It Takes A Muscle - 2010
Internet Connection - 2011
Bad Girls - 2012
Bring the Noize - 2013
Come Walk With Me - 2013
Y.A.L.A. - 2013
Double Bubble Trouble - 2014
Sexodus - 2015
Swords - 2015
Borders - 2015
Go Off - 2016
Bird Song - 2016
Freedun - 2016
P.O.W.A. - 2017
Up Inna - 2020
CTRL - 2020
The One - 2022
Popular - 2022
Beep - 2022

M.I.A. has also been a featured artist and guest artist on dozens of other songs in her career - which I am not including here for a number of reasons, and it's pretty safe to assume that if she's on it that it's going to be at least tolerable if not 100% enjoyable.

Her Q&A for Ofxford Union is one of the greatest things available from the era (2017) to illustrate who she is, what she identifies with, what she abhores, her history as a human and artist, her vision(s), and so much more. Despite and in the face of my fanboy level for M.I.A., it is my favorite Oxfurd Union session I've viewed - and I've seen/heard more them than I haven't.