M.I.A. (rapper) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
M.I.A.
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| எம்.ஐ.ஏ. | |
M.I.A. in 2016
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Mathangi Arulpragasam
18 July 1975 London, England
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| Other names | Maya |
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| Education | Central Saint Martins, College of Art and Design |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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| Children | 1 |
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| Relatives | Kali Arulpragasam (sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
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'Mathangi Arulpragasam (born 18 July 1975), who is known by her stage name M.I.A., is a British singer, rapper, and activist. Her stage name is short for "Missing in Action" and "Missing in Acton," the part of London where she grew up. Her music is a unique mix of styles like dance, hip hop, and world music.
M.I.A. was born in London to parents from Sri Lanka. When she was a baby, her family moved to Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Her childhood was shaped by the Sri Lankan Civil War, which forced her family to move back to London as refugees when she was 11. These experiences have had a big impact on her music and art.
She first became known as a visual artist and filmmaker. In 2002, she started making music. She became famous through the internet with her early songs "Sunshowers" and "Galang".
Her first two albums, Arular (2005) and Kala (2007), were loved by critics. The song "Paper Planes" from Kala became a huge hit in the United States. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. She has released several more albums, including Maya (2010), Matangi (2013), AIM (2016), and Mata (2022).
M.I.A. has won many awards. She was the first person of South Asian descent to be nominated for both an Academy Award and a Grammy Award in the same year. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2009. In 2019, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to music.
Life and Career
Early Life and Moving to London
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam was born in London on July 18, 1975. Her parents were from Sri Lanka. Her father, Arul Pragasam, was an engineer and activist. When Maya was six months old, her family moved to Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka.
Her childhood was difficult because of the Sri Lankan Civil War. Her family had to hide from the army, and she did not see her father very often. She remembers living in poverty but also has happy memories of growing up in Jaffna. She went to a Catholic school where she was good at art, especially painting.
Because of the war, Maya's mother moved with her children to Madras, India. Later, they returned to Sri Lanka, but the war became worse. When Maya was nine, her school was destroyed in a raid. In 1986, her mother brought the children to London as refugees. Maya was almost 11 years old. She learned to speak English and lived in south London. She later went to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and graduated with a degree in fine art, film, and video.
Art, Film, and Early Music
Before she was a musician, M.I.A. was a visual artist. She wanted to make art and films that showed real life. In 2001, she had her first public art show in London. It featured paintings that mixed Tamil political art with images of London life. The show was nominated for an Alternative Turner Prize.
She became friends with Justine Frischmann from the band Elastica. Frischmann asked her to design the cover for their album The Menace. While on tour with Elastica, another musician named Peaches encouraged her to make music.
M.I.A. started experimenting with a Roland MC-505 music machine. She came up with her stage name, "M.I.A.," which stood for "Missing in Acton," the area of London she lived in. It was also a tribute to her cousin who was missing in the war in Sri Lanka. She recorded a demo tape with six songs, including "Galang".
2003–2005: Arular and Gaining Fame
In 2003, a small record label released her song "Galang" on vinyl. The song became popular through file sharing, college radio, and in dance clubs. M.I.A. was one of the first artists to become famous mainly through the internet. She signed with XL Recordings in 2004.
Her first album, Arular, was released in 2005. She named it after the name her father used as an activist. The album was recorded in her bedroom in London. The songs were about her experiences, the war, and life in London. The album received excellent reviews from critics.
Singles from the album included "Sunshowers" and "Bucky Done Gun". She toured to support the album, performing at festivals like Coachella and opening for artists like Gwen Stefani. Arular was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.
2006–2008: Kala and Global Success
M.I.A. named her second album, Kala (2007), after her mother. She recorded it in many different countries, including India, Trinidad, and Jamaica. This was because she had trouble getting a visa to work in the United States.
Kala mixed many styles of music, including traditional dance music from different cultures. The album was a big success. The single "Boyz" was her first top-ten hit.
The most famous song from the album was "Paper Planes". It became a huge hit, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Kala was named the best album of 2007 by Rolling Stone magazine.
In 2008, she collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the song "O... Saya" for the movie Slumdog Millionaire. The song was nominated for an Academy Award. This made M.I.A. the first person of Asian descent to be nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy in the same year.
2009–2011: The Maya Album
In 2009, M.I.A. started her own record label, N.E.E.T. Recordings, to promote new artists. She also began working on her third album.
In 2010, she released a song and a short film called "Born Free". The film was very controversial because of its violent scenes and was temporarily removed from YouTube.
Her third album, Maya, was released in June 2010. It had a more electronic and industrial sound. The album reached the top ten in several countries, including the U.S. and Canada. The single "XXXO" was a hit in the UK, Spain, and Belgium. At the end of 2010, she released a free mixtape online called Vicki Leekx.
2012–2014: Matangi and the Super Bowl
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In 2012, M.I.A. performed with Madonna and Nicki Minaj at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. Her performance caused a lot of controversy, which led to a lawsuit with the NFL that was settled years later.
She released the single "Bad Girls" from her mixtape Vicki Leekx. The music video, filmed in Morocco, won awards at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Her fourth album, Matangi, was released in November 2013. The record label had delayed its release, saying it was "too positive." M.I.A. threatened to leak the album herself if they didn't release it. The album received good reviews from critics.
2015–Present: More Music and Film
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In 2015, M.I.A. released a video called "Matahdatah Scroll 01 Broader Than a Border," which featured a new song called "Swords." Later that year, she released the single "Borders", which talked about the global refugee crisis.
Her fifth album, AIM, came out in 2016. In 2018, a documentary about her life, called Matangi/Maya/M.I.A., was released. It won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2020, she was featured on Travis Scott's song "Franchise" with Young Thug. The song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which was a first for M.I.A. Her sixth album, Mata, was released in October 2022.
Activism and Social Causes
Because of her experiences as a refugee from the Sri Lankan Civil War, M.I.A. often speaks out about human rights. She uses her fame to bring attention to the struggles of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. She has been called an "icon for refugees."
Her activism has sometimes been controversial. Some have criticized her for her strong political views. However, she feels it is her duty to speak for people who do not have a voice. She has also supported other causes, such as building schools in Liberia, Africa. She has worked with Youth Action International and donated money from her performances to fund these projects.
M.I.A. has also been a vocal supporter of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. She believes they are important for sharing truthful information with the public.
Personal Life
M.I.A. was in a relationship with DJ Diplo for five years. Later, she was engaged to Benjamin Bronfman. They have a son, Ikhyd Edgar Arular Bronfman, who was born in 2009. M.I.A. and Bronfman separated in 2012.
M.I.A. was raised as a Hindu. In 2017, she announced that she had become a born-again Christian after having a vision.
Discography
- Arular (2005)
- Kala (2007)
- Maya (2010)
- Matangi (2013)
- AIM (2016)
- Mata (2022)
Tours
- Arular Tour (2005)
- Kala Tour (2007)
- People vs. Money Tour (2008)
- Maya Tour (2010)
- Matangi Tour (2013–2014)
- AIM Tour (2017–2018)
See also
In Spanish: M.I.A. (cantante) para niños
