Biography
Who is M.I.A.?
Early life and real name
M.I.A. Was born Mathangi Arulpragasam on July 18, 1975, in Hounslow, United Kingdom. Her father was Arulpragasam, and her mother was Kala. When she was six months old, her family moved to Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. Her childhood was marked by displacement caused by the Sri Lankan Civil War.
Due to safety concerns during the conflict, her mother moved the children to India temporarily before returning to London as refugees when M.I.A. Was eleven years old. She attended Ricards Lodge High School and Holy Family Convent in Jaffna before studying at Central Saint Martins, where she graduated with a degree in fine art, film, and video.
How M.I.A. became famous
M.I.A. Initially started her creative career as a visual artist, filmmaker, and designer around the year 2000. She designed cover art for the band Elastica and held her first public exhibition of paintings at the Euphoria Shop on London Portobello Road.
She began her recording career in 2002 and became one of the first music acts to gain public attention through the Internet. She achieved early fame as an underground artist in early 2004 with the release of her singles Sunshowers and Galang.
Career highlights and albums
M.I.A. Released her first two studio albums, Arular in 2005 and Kala in 2007. Both records received widespread critical acclaim for combining alternative hip hop, dance music, electronica, and world music influences.
Her popular single Paper Planes, which was co-produced by her partner at the time Diplo, peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track also earned a nomination for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.
Family and background
M.I.A. Grew up with her mother Kala and her siblings, including her brother Kali Arulpragasam. Her father was involved in political activism in Sri Lanka as a founding member of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students.
During her upbringing in south London, she lived on the Phipps Bridge Estate in the Mitcham district. She worked to master the English language quickly after arriving in the United Kingdom as a refugee during her childhood.
Birthday and age
M.I.A. was born on July 18, 1975, which makes M.I.A. 51 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. M.I.A. shares the date with 29 other famous people.
Explore more
