Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, better known by her stage name M.I.A., is not your everyday musician. Her music doesn’t care about genre borders, or any other borders for that matter. She bounces from hip-hop to electronic beats and mixes in the cultures of home town London and home country Sri Lanka. You might know her from the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire, or you might just know your music. Either way, Maya is coming to Amsterdam for a gig on November 25th, and this is one of those artists that brings something extra to the table.
Her lyrics and videos are strongly political and often portray ethnical violence. She often shows her supports for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers and suffering Palestinian and Africans. After the release of her debut album Maya was even refused a visa for the U.S., so don’t expect any mindless pop music.
Also, before her career as a musician, Maya was already a successful painter and fashion designer. This talent for the visual arts still lives on in her current stage performance. She is a colourful persona who communicates with her audience in every way she can. Words, music, fashion, art, lights. In my eyes, she is an icon of the ’00s. Carelessly mashing up music genres and going from pop to politics and back with ease, all remixed into a visual show. There is no longer just sound, it’s all about the experience.
Feature image courtesy of Darek Smid
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