Woman-of-the-world Maya Arulpragasam, or M.I.A., has new music coming in 2010. Following on from seminal “noughties” hip hop records Arular and Kala, and riding on the back of the crossover success of “Paper Planes” via Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire, her third album will be primarily produced by Blaqstarr, as discussed in a recent interview Rolling Stone.
In the interview, the British/Sri Lankan artisan stressed her intention to create something organic, and to stray from the artificial. “I just want to be real, whatever that is,” she said. “I definitely needed to come to music on this album, to make music. I don’t want it to be gimmicky or silly or hipstery.” She also promised a greater emphasis on singing on the new record. “I just stopped singing on the last one because I put more emphasis into production,” she said, “so I was more about making beats and sang less on my last album.”
There is no definitive tracklisting or title as yet, but two song names have been revealed: “I Fight the Ones That Fight Me”; and “I’m Down Like Your Internet Connection,” which was created while Arulpragasam was on the phone to the technical support to her internet service provider, and features the voices of Filipino call centre workers.
The album is coming in summer. We await June with impatience!
