• July 18, 1975
• Unknown to many of her fans, M.I.A. suffers from dyslexia. When she first came out in 2004, the singer/rapper wasn't sure she'd even be able to do tours. She started slow with small club and festival gigs and the crowd reaction was very positive. After a standing ovation at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, she realized she was confident enough to play bigger venues.
• Although Diplo worked with M.I.A. on three songs, the electronic DJ also bashed the rest of her music. In a 2010 tweet, Diplo praised his own work but expressed doubt about M.I.A.'s upcoming album, writing "it sounds like Skinny Puppy and gives me nightmares."
• Shortly after finding herself in trouble for flipping off the camera during the 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show, M.I.A. also found herself without a partner. In February 2012, M.I.A. split from her boyfriend and father of her son, Benjamin Bronfman. According to Bronfman, the singer went up to six months without seeing her son while recording and going on tour.
• In 2001, M.I.A. wanted to be a visual artist rather than a recording artist. She designed the cover for Elastica's final single "The Bitch Don't Work." She was introduced to music production by fellow singer/rapper Peaches and began making her own songs shortly after while on vacation in the Caribbean.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers used M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" as a rally song during their three week bid to win the 2008 National League West title.
• Since its release in 2008, M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" has become one of the most covered rap songs of all time. Rihanna, Dizzee Rascal, Built to Spill, Holy F--k, The Clientele, and Street Sweeper Social Club have all performed the track in their live shows. In addition, filmmakers Michael Moore and Danny Boyle have used "Paper Planes" prominently in their films.
• Following her performance at the MTV Movie Awards after party, M.I.A. donated her $100,000 performance fee to schools in Liberia, saying "it costs $52,000 to build a school for 1,000 kids."
• While recording her 2007 album Kala, M.I.A. was refused a long-term work visa to stay in the United States. Instead, she was forced to finish the record in different parts of the world, including India, Jamaica, Australia, Liberia, and Trinidad.
• She says her favorite rapper is "Tuggie" - a combination of Tupac and Biggie Smalls.
• M.I.A. received an MBE for her services to music during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on January 14, 2020. In a statement, the hip-hop star said she accepted the honor in tribute to her mother, Kala Pragasam, who for over three decades has hand stitched medals distributed by the palace. Fittingly, the medal that Prince William pinned to M.I.A's chest was one that her mother had made.

Comments

More Songfacts:

The Night Chicago DiedPaper Lace

"The Night Chicago Died" was written and recorded by the British group Paper Lace. They talk about Al Capone in the song, but got a lot of details wrong - understandable since they wrote it based on gangster movies.

Somebody Like YouKeith Urban

When Keith Urban played "Somebody Like You" for his girlfriend, she called him a hypocrite because he "sucked at relationships."

Crash Into MeDave Matthews Band

The Dave Matthews Band song "Crash Into Me" seems pretty romantic, but the guy in the song is kind of a stalker. Matthews calls him "the kind of man you'd call the police on."

Jessie's GirlRick Springfield

"Jessie's Girl" tells the true story of a girl Rick Springfield was crushing on, but her boyfriend's name was really Gary and he was more of an acquaintance than a friend.

Scooby SnacksFun Lovin' Criminals

The Scooby Snacks in the Fun Lovin' Criminals song aren't dog treats, they're Valium pills.

Little TalksOf Monsters and Men

"Little Talks," released in 2011 during the folk-rock boom, was the big hit for the Icelandic group Of Monsters And Men. The song is delivered as a conversation between a longtime married couple, but the woman might be going crazy and talking to a ghost.

Editor's Picks

David Bowie Lyrics QuizMusic Quiz

How well do you know your David Bowie lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Sam PhillipsSongwriter Interviews

Collaborating with T Bone Burnett, Leslie Phillips changed her name and left her Christian label behind - Robert Plant, who recorded one of her songs on Raising Sand, is a fan.