The controversial musician reveals that the recording of "/\/\/\Y/\" (a funky way of writing M.I.A.s real name, Maya) was influenced by death threats to her son, Ikhyd, reports the Huffington Post.
The threats came after M.I.A. criticized the government in her native Sri Lanka.
"People would write on Twitter and YouTube, 'Your baby is going to die,' because I was talking about the Sri Lankan government and the issues that were going on there," says the "Paper Planes" singer, 34."I think the album is a mixture of all those things - babies, death, destruction and powerlessness."
The threats came after M.I.A. criticized the government in her native Sri Lanka.
"People would write on Twitter and YouTube, 'Your baby is going to die,' because I was talking about the Sri Lankan government and the issues that were going on there," says the "Paper Planes" singer, 34."I think the album is a mixture of all those things - babies, death, destruction and powerlessness."
Criticizing the government, M.I.A. argues, was a responsibility she felt she had to undertake, despite the added responsibility of caring for a baby."All these people were reaching out to me to talk about it because I am the only one that can represent them," she says.
M.I.A. lived in Sri Lanka during its civil war until she was 8, an experience that greatly influences both her music and politics. It also qualifies her as a high-profile voice in support of peace in Sri Lanka.
In 2009, M.I.A.'s activism, plus her recording career, earned her a spot on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. So backing down because of a baby was a difficult thing for the firebrand singer to stomach.
"I was pregnant and I didn't want to have to deal with that s--- but I had no choice," she said.On the musical front, M.I.A. has faced a slew of obstacles along the way to releasing "/\/\/\Y/\," which hits shelves on July 13. First, the video for her song "Born Free" was yanked from YouTube after its imagery was deemed too controversial (it's back on now, but users have to register as being 18 and older to see it on the site).
M.I.A. lived in Sri Lanka during its civil war until she was 8, an experience that greatly influences both her music and politics. It also qualifies her as a high-profile voice in support of peace in Sri Lanka.
In 2009, M.I.A.'s activism, plus her recording career, earned her a spot on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. So backing down because of a baby was a difficult thing for the firebrand singer to stomach.
"I was pregnant and I didn't want to have to deal with that s--- but I had no choice," she said.On the musical front, M.I.A. has faced a slew of obstacles along the way to releasing "/\/\/\Y/\," which hits shelves on July 13. First, the video for her song "Born Free" was yanked from YouTube after its imagery was deemed too controversial (it's back on now, but users have to register as being 18 and older to see it on the site).
Despite the setbacks, however, "Born Free" and a second single, "XXXO," have already received favorable reception, indicating that M.I.A. will remain very much in the spotlight in the coming months.
