M.I.A. explains why she has been M.I.A. these past few years.
Few artists in the past have reached the level of success that M.I.A. achieved. With her breakout hit “Paper Planes,” she climbed the charts and performed at major events, including the Super Bowl, and received Grammy nominations. However, her career has been marked by controversy. During her Super Bowl performance, she made headlines for raising her middle finger, and she’s often clashed with other artists.
Recently, in an extended video, M.I.A. intensified her criticism, calling out Beyoncé and Adele for failing to show her respect, attributing this to her being a brown woman. She also took aim at Azealia Banks, who previously suggested she bleach her skin. M.I.A. concluded by expressing her refusal to compromise her values for the industry, rejecting the pressure to conform, including the expectation to display her body or comply with mainstream demands.
Rapper M.I.A. Speaks on Refusing to Bleach Her Skin or Become a Witch to Sell Records and Goes Off on Adele and Beyoncé for Not Giving Her Respect Because She's a Brown-Skinned Woman. pic.twitter.com/ro7MjaASDZ
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) November 30, 2024
First off, let’s be clear: who doesn’t think M.I.A. looks good? I’ve had a crush on her since she rose to prominence, and she still looks incredible today. Now, while I truly believe that M.I.A. has influenced the music industry, I don’t think it warrants treating her as if she’s some untouchable icon. That said, I can see where she’s coming from when she mentions the challenges in marketing her as an artist, especially given the industry’s struggles with promoting a brown woman. There’s also some truth to her assertions about the music industry’s exploitative practices, especially when it comes to the pressure to conform once an artist is positioned as a potential pop star. I just hope people don’t dismiss her as simply being irrational—there’s a lot of sense in what she’s saying.
Do you agree with M.I.A.’s words in this video?
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
