A pioneering force for woman rappers British-Sri Lankan artist-activist M.I.A. has extended her Australian visit this spring.
The 'Paper Planes' and 'Bad Girls' hitmaker will perform headline concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, having already been added to the Harvest Rock line-up.
2025 has seen M.I.A. release two singles, 'Safe' and 'Armour'. Known for experimental beats, inventive sampling, and socially-charged lyrics that spotlight issues from migration to identity,
M.I.A. has released six studio albums. Her most recent record was 2022's 'Mata', her first longplayer in six years. "This album was actually written in a very peaceful place," she observes.
"COVID happened, and I'm sure there were expectations for me to make a violent and aggressive record, but you already have that in my catalog. If you want to protest, if you want to speak up, or if you want to fight, all of those songs are there – and they always will be.
"'Mata' is about rising above any earthly problems and social problems. I took a step back and looked at it from a bigger perspective. No matter what religion you ascribe to, the message is ultimately the same.
"I create out of chaos. Everything that's creative and created is god, and everything that's destructive and destroys is god too. To me, this record is complete acceptance of the divine. Whatever happens is what happens. I approached this music as if I was meant to make it."
The world of fashion has been equally influenced by M.I.A.'s presence, with Versace, Marc Jacobs, and others have sought her out for collaborations. While Vulture once hailed her 'a precursor for the various fashion-rap acts (Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and above all A$AP Rocky)'.
"This is the second coming," M.I.A. said when 'Mata' was released. "It's very hard to tell what the world needs right now. I tried to get out of the game. I've done my best to escape, but I can't.
"I've accepted it though. I'm really happy to be making music. I'm at peace with the fact I'm a musician. I'm truthful to my journey. When you listen to this record, you'll get everything. You'll hear the growing pains, but you'll hear accessibility and relatability. It's everything. It's still me."
Tickets on sale from 12pm (local time) on 2 September.
M.I.A. 2025 Tour Dates
Sat 25 Oct - Harvest Rock (Adelaide)Sun 26 Oct - Forum Melbourne
Wed 29 Oct - Enmore Theatre (Sydney)
