British rapper, singer, and songwriter of Sri Lankan Tamil descent M.I.A is a force to reckon with. Gaining worldwide recognition after her first album Arular in 2005, M.I.A incredible plunge into the genres of hip-hop, electronic, and world music brought her to the world of Danny Boyle’s Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire, in which she collaborated with the music maestro A.R Rahman to dish out songs like Papaer Planes that attained a cult status. Unlike many artists, M.I.A wears her hearts on her sleeves and doesn’t shy away from being vocal about socio-political issues concerning the milieu of the world.
M.I.A was one of the stellar artist’s at this year’s NH7 Weekender. Before her performance, M.I.A spoke exclusively with News18 Showsha, where she gave glimpses into her musical journey and brought us face to face with her creative process and her outspoken persona.
Here are the excerpts:
How do you feel about performing at NH7, what do you have in store for your Indian fans?
So, over the last two decades, it’s been this kind of crash course in every genre of music. It’s interesting because a big chunk of what people vibe to on social media today kind of kicked off with the OG tech influencers – you know, making music, snapping pics on iChat, and cooking up those quirky videos. It’s like this wild evolution from those early days to the whole commercial scene we’ve got today.
Your music often incorporates sociopolitical themes. How do you balance creating music that is both politically charged and musically engaging?
I think that’s just me, and it just comes out that way. There’s no like formula.
What challenges have you faced in blending various genres and cultural influences into your music and how have you overcome them?
I think music is universal and my message is always unity and it’s always reflected in me, my stage, music, style, visuals, you know, everything. So that is what I would like to say.
What are some of the most significant lessons you’ve learned throughout your career in the music industry?
I guess some artists are spiritual, whether they consciously know it or not, you know? Creating is this pretty spiritual thing, and then, of course, you’ve got the whole music industry, a bit of a monetized entity. It’s all about finding that delicate balance, yeah?
How do you think your art has contributed to the broader conversation on issues such as immigration, human rights, and cultural identity? Can you say that again? How do you think your as immigration, human rights and cultural identity?
Yeah, it’s like when I step back and don’t contribute in my own way, I start feeling that void, you know? It’s like when I took my voice out of the conversation, I’ve seen this surge in right-wing thinking over the past few years. So many actions are driven solely by the pursuit of profit, leading to this refugee crisis. It just hits home how crucial it is to always have a voice. You only truly realize its significance when you take that step back and see what unfolds.
What advice would you give to young artists who are trying to use their platform to bring attention to social and political issues?
I’m a firm believer that having a voice and that space to express is crucial. Yet, as humans, we’ve got to evolve and work through our own traumas and issues. It’s not just about projecting our pain onto others or amplifying the negatives. It’s about offering the beauty, the pain, the horror, and the love. Always providing solutions. Sometimes, you know, when you’re scrolling and you come across yet another voice amplifying the doom, it gets exhausting. That’s why, for me, even though some of my songs might not be political or social, they’re just good party tunes, meant to shake off the heaviness. It’s a balance that’s got to be there.
How do you approach the creative process and maintain your unique sound while evolving as an artist?
I think that sometimes when I put myself in a position where sometimes I can be a voice for the voiceless and serve some purpose. I guess it’s just about being connected, staying grounded, and having belief.
My introduction to your music was through Slumdog Millionaire. Paper Planes to this day remains an iconic song, and how the brilliance of that song was used to accentuate the cinematic chaos. What can you recall about that song and the whole Slumdog Millionaire trivia?
Well, back when I first dipped my toes into music, Danny Boyle and Al Lyman were these creative giants I looked up to, you know? They were my role models. I mean, I adore Trainspotting, everything Danny does. But honestly, I never imagined our paths would cross in some way. And then it happened, this magical moment that just unfolded in time, and I found myself right in the middle of it. I vividly remember watching the train scene in Danny Boyle’s movie for the first time, with ‘Paper Planes’ as its soundtrack, in this private viewing. It was just perfect, you know? It wasn’t a music video I could have ever envisioned, but it captured the essence so brilliantly. Around the same time, I hit that personal milestone – becoming a millionaire from the song. So, you can imagine, my life took a whole new turn. The film, in a way, encapsulated all the struggles one goes through as a refugee – rising from nothing, getting thrown into tough social situations, with the constant fear that your only destiny is either ending up a criminal or some street stereotype.
Also, I would like to know how know your journey behind creating your most recent album, Mata, which is a complete banger. I felt while it retained your melodic identity, there were other aspects that made the entire experience for be more memorable.
You know, Mata took its sweet time brewing. It was this extended process that kicked off in 1998 and wrapped up in 2002 – that’s a good four years. I never usually take that long to craft an album, usually six or even longer is a bit of a stretch. But this time around, there was this added layer of space, thanks to COVID, where everything just came to a standstill. Plus, add to the mix the island record, going through three CEOs in a sort of revolving door scenario. It was a real rollercoaster. I guess that’s why the album’s fittingly named Mata. It’s like this album you really have to master before moving forward, you know?
What are your future aspirations, both in terms of music and activism, and how do you envisage continuing to make an impact in the industry and beyond? and how do you envisage continuing to make an impact in the industry and beyond?
My future aspiration is to make something cinematic.
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