M.I.A.
M.I.A.
came dad fights freedom gained ghetto hindu lives mantra mythology speech stands truth
Matangi's mantra is aim, which is MIA backwards. She fights for freedom of speech and stands for truth, and lives in the ghetto because her dad was the first person in Hindu mythology who came from the 'hood, but had gained enlightenment through not being a Brahmin.
alone clever cleverest dad grew landed mud science slept studied studying super
My dad grew up in a mud hut and studied by candlelight. He was 14 when he got a scholarship to Russia. He was super clever - the cleverest person. He landed in 5ft of snow, and was alone at 14, studying science and engineering. He didn't have a bed, and he slept on a table.
hand life mike onstage pushed recorded songs three time worst
In 2004, I went onstage for the first time. They put a mike in my hand and pushed me out the door into the crowd. I did the three songs I had recorded and got out. It was the worst day of my life.
music
It is a coincidence that Mathangi is the Goddess of Music and the spoken word, which can be rap.
Before the Greeks were the Tamils. The Tamils are one of the oldest civilizations that's still surviving.
talks time
In New York, everyone's really neurotic and talks about themselves all the time.
answer call came england europe hand life lived school terrible visit
The first 10 years of my life, I lived as 'Matangi.' When I came to England in '86, my first week of school was terrible because I would put my hand up to answer things, and no one would choose me because they couldn't say my name. My auntie came from Europe to visit us, and she was like, 'Just call yourself something else.'
constantly redefine
You have to constantly redefine who you are.
again gonna human life middle remember shot war
I'm just so grateful for the 10 years that I had in Sri Lanka when it was in the middle of a war and I was getting shot at, because now and again I remember glimpses of those times, and I just go, 'Wow, I'll never, ever see that again in my life. And I'm never gonna feel that, and I'm never gonna feel for a human being like that.'
concentration people
My giving birth was nothing when I think about all the people in Sri Lanka that have to give birth in a concentration camp.
I don't consider myself a musician. I'm an artist.
abandon bridge east
I am the bridge between the East and the West. I don't want to abandon one for the other.
civilian music terrorism voice war
I don't support terrorism and never have. As a Sri Lankan that fled war and bombings, my music is the voice of the civilian refugee.
either evoke good hate love loved music opinion people point strong
I feel like people either love me or hate me, which is good, because that was the point of what I do. The point of M.I.A. is to be - it's either to be loved or hated. At least you evoke that much of a strong opinion about music.