M.I.A. releases new single ‘Popular’: “M.I.A. IS DEAD AF, THE FUTURE IS HERE”

Written by on 12/08/2022

M.I.A. performing live on-stage at Primavera Sound 2022 in Barcelona, Spain

M.I.A. has shared a new single called ‘Popular’ – listen below.

  • READ MORE: M.I.A’s final rebellion – read the full NME cover interview

The English-Sri Lankan musician first teased the song on her official Instagram page on August 10. In the caption of the post, she wrote: “MIA IS DEAD AF, THE FUTURE IS HERE ITS MAI BITCHES [sic].”

M.I.A. tagged Diplo in the video, adding in the comments section: “This is not me i would never make a song with Diplo. I’m working on a Christian LP rn.” The producer, meanwhile, added a series of fire emojis beneath the visuals.

Later, M.I.A. shared another ‘Popular’ teaser online. That upload included the message: “M.I.A. is irrelevant … She’s got an expiry date … I am M.A.I. … I am techno humanoid. I’m forever.”

On Spotify, Diplo and Dutch-Israeli producer/DJ Boaz van de Beats are credited as co-writers (alongside M.I.A.) and producers on ‘Popular’. Watch a ‘pseudo video’ for the song here:

M.I.A. returned back in May with the single ‘The One’ and confirmed her first album in six years, ‘MATA’, which serves as the follow-up to 2016’s ‘AIM’. The record will arrive via Island, who she’s inked a new global deal with. A release date is not yet known.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, the singer explained of her next full-length effort: “I think there’s a bit of a battle on the record. That there is a bit of a clash, but the clash is like your ego and spirituality. Those are the clashes. Because as a musician, you need some ego, otherwise you can’t do it.”

This summer has seen M.I.A. perform at various European festivals, including Primavera Sound, NOS Alive and Bilbao BBK Live.

The post M.I.A. releases new single ‘Popular’: “M.I.A. IS DEAD AF, THE FUTURE IS HERE” appeared first on NME.


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