M.I.A.

Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, known professionally as M.I.A., is a British rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer and activist whose work blends alternative, hip-hop, electronic, dance and global music influences. Of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, her stage name is both a play on her initials and a reference to “missing in action.” She began her career in west London as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer before turning to music in the early 2000s, emerging as one of the first artists to gain widespread attention through internet-distributed songs and videos.

M.I.A. rose to prominence in 2004 with the singles “Sunshowers” and “Galang,” followed by her acclaimed 2005 debut album, “Arular.” The record charted internationally and established her politically charged, genre-blurring sound. Her second album, “Kala,” released in 2007, brought global success, driven by the hit singles “Boyz” and “Paper Planes.” “Paper Planes” became a cultural landmark, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning multi-platinum certifications while appearing prominently in film and popular culture.

Her third album, “Maya,” arrived in 2010 alongside the provocative short film for “Born Free” and became her highest-charting release in the U.S. and U.K. Subsequent albums, including “Matangi” in 2013 and “AIM” in 2016, continued to expand her sonic palette. In 2022, she released “Mata,” marking a return after a lengthy hiatus and reaffirming her role as a confrontational and experimental voice in pop and electronic music.

Beyond recording, M.I.A. has mounted multiple global tours and founded the multimedia label N.E.E.T. Her work is widely noted for its political, social and cultural commentary, as well as its unconventional production techniques.

She is also the creator of OHMNI, a fashion line designed to protect wearers from harmful signals caused by Big Tech.

She has received nominations for an Academy Award, multiple Grammy Awards and the Mercury Prize, and has been recognized by publications including Time, Rolling Stone, Spin and Esquire as one of the most influential and defining artists of the 21st century.