M.I.A. Photo

M.I.A.

Acting

2.8 Popularity Jul 18, 1975 (50 years old) London, England, UK

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam MBE (born 18 July 1975), known by her stage name M.I.A. (an acronym of "Missing in Acton"), is a British rapper, singer, record producer and activist. Her songs contain evocative political and social commentary regarding immigration, warfare and identity in a globalised ...

Biography

Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam MBE (born 18 July 1975), known by her stage name M.I.A. (an acronym of "Missing in Acton"), is a British rapper, singer, record producer and activist. Her songs contain evocative political and social commentary regarding immigration, warfare and identity in a globalised world. Her music combines elements of alternative, dance, electronic, hip hop and world music with eclectic instruments and samples. She started out as a visual artist, filmmaker and designer in 2000, and began her recording career in 2002. M.I.A.'s first two albums, Arular (2005) and Kala (2007), received widespread critical acclaim for their experimentation with hip hop and electronic fusion. The single "Paper Planes" from Kala reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and sold over four million copies. Her third album Maya (2010) was preceded by the controversial single-short film "Born Free". Maya was her best-charting effort, reaching the top 10 on several charts. Her fourth studio album, Matangi (2013), included the single "Bad Girls", which won accolades at the MTV Video Music Awards. M.I.A. released her fifth studio album, AIM, in 2016. She scored her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single as a featured artist on Travis Scott's "Franchise" (2020).

M.I.A.'s accolades include two American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) awards and two MTV Video Music Awards. She is the first person of South Asian descent to be nominated for an Academy Award and Grammy Award in the same year. She was named one of the defining artists of the 2000s decade by Rolling Stone, and one of the 100 most influential people of 2009 by Time. Esquire ranked M.I.A. on its list of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century. According to Billboard, she was one of the "Top 50 Dance/Electronic Artists of the 2010s". M.I.A. was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for her services to music.

Filmography 16

2024
The Trust Fall: Julian Assange Movie

as Self - Narrator

2020
2019
Fyre Fraud Movie

as Self (Archival Footage)

2018
2016
The Journey Movie

Music

2015
Artistry/Technology Movie

as Self

2015
F10RIDA Movie

as herself

2013
Madonna: MDNA World Tour Movie

as Self - Vocals

2010
Born Free Movie

Writers' Production

2009
2008
2003
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien TV

as Self - Musical Guest

1959
The Grammys TV

as Self

Photos 1

M.I.A. Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Female
Birthday July 18, 1975 (50 years old)
Place of Birth London, England, UK
Also Known As Mathangi Arulpragasam , Maya Arulpragasam
Years Active 1959 - 2024
Popularity 2.8
Career Stats
16 Total Credits
9 Movie Roles
4 TV Roles
1 Photos