There are five known artists under this name:

1. Mathangi “Maya” Ar… Read Full Bio ↴There are five known artists under this name:

1. Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam also known as M.I.A., (born 18 July 1975 in Hounslow, London, U.K.) is a British artist of Sri Lankan descent. As a baby she moved with her family to their native Sri Lanka, where her father became increasingly politically active in militant activities. As the Civil War escalated the rest of the family was forced to flee as refugees, first to India and then the UK. “M.I.A.” [“Missing In Action”] references both her London neighborhood (Acton) and her politically tumultuous youth.

Her style contains elements of hip-hop, reggae, alternative, dance hall, electro and baile funk and is strongly inspired by her Sri Lankan background.

2. American Punk/Hardcore band formed in Orange County, CA in 1981 by Chris Moon, drums; Mike Conley, bass; Nick Adams, guitar (all previously of Las Vegas, NV punk band The Swell); and Art Carasco, vocals. Their sound was generally hardcore and thrasher, though they produced more melodic and progressive sounds in their later albums. Allmusic called the band "one of the 50 best So-Cal punk bands of the great early-'80s second wave explosion. In 1984 they signed a deal with the cult Alternative Tentacles label, after the label's founder, Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, saw them play at a secret illegal punk nightclub in Las Vegas. Biafra was impressed by Mike Conley's distinctive voice, saying "The minute you hear a song with him singing you know it's him." They released the album Murder in a Foreign Place on Alternative Tentacles in 1984, followed in 1985 by Notes From the Underground on National Trust Records, and in 1987 by After the Fact on Flipside Records. The band split up in 1988. In 2001, Alternative Tentacles released Lost Boys, a 37-song retrospective of the band's work, including Last Rites, Murder in a Foreign Place, and several additional tracks. On February 28, 2008 vocalist Mike Conley was found dead in a Chicago hotel parking lot. Conley was taken to Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, where he was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m. On April 27, 2008, there was a secret warm-up show at Detroit Bar featuring Todd Sampson of Self Abuse and Samson's Army on vocals, Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys on guest vocals, Chris Moon and Larry Pearson on drums, Nick Adams on guitar, and Bob Thomson on bass. The next day, the "Beautiful Noise" benefit show took place at the Anaheim House of Blues with Jigsaw, Naked Soul, Cadillac Tramps, Social Distortion and MIA with the same lineup as the previous night, but adding Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds on guest vocals. The proceeds of "Beautiful Noise" went to Mike Conley's family.

(3) Formed in the mid 70s, Independent Musicians Associated (MIA) was a group of musicians, technicians and drawers gathered together by Lito and Liliana Vitale’s parents. They produced their own records and concerts in an independent way. Their music is a complex symphonic rock with definite Argentinean/latin folk influence with multiple chorals and vocals beautifully contrasting with the keyboards and a great guitar sound upon a strong rhythmic section. They were highly influenced by symphonic music, more noteworthy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant and Focus.

4. Merriweathers is a member of Underground Resistance under the alias of The Unknown Soldier.

5. mia's page (Michaela Grobelny).

Shells
M.I.A. Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She was shell, she was living hell
She was on the floor,
I just can't take anymore

The arc of life is long,
For those who remain patient and strong

She was shell, she was living hell

She was naked on the floor

You can let go, you can let go
We've got a new love now

Overall Meaning

M.I.A.'s song Shells describes the story of a woman who is struggling and is experiencing severe emotional turmoil. The idea behind the song is to encourage people to find strength in their pain and take control of their lives. The first few lines of the song talk about the woman being a shell, which means she has lost all her essence and identity. She is living a life of agony and distress, and the singer can see her pain. She is on the floor, crying her heart out, and the singer feels helpless seeing her like this.

The lyrics go on to talk about the fact that the arc of life is long, and those who remain patient and strong are the ones who make it through. This line is a message for people going through tough times- that if they hold on to their patience and strength, they will come through to a better tomorrow. M.I.A. goes on to reiterate the fact that the woman on the floor is in a terrible state of mind. She describes her as being naked on the floor. This is a metaphor for the woman's vulnerability and how she has nothing to hide anymore.

The last two lines of the song are encouraging and hopeful- You can let go, you can let go, we've got a new love now. This line is interpreted in many ways, but the general idea is that the woman can leave her pain and suffering behind and move on to a new love. It is not necessarily romantic love, but rather a love for oneself and a new life. The song is a reminder to people that they have the power to change their lives and that they should not let their suffering control them.

Line by Line Meaning

She was shell, she was living hell
She was broken and tormented, suffering greatly.

She was on the floor,
She was physically or emotionally defeated, lying on the ground.

I just can't take anymore
The situation is overwhelming and unbearable.

The arc of life is long,
Life has its ups and downs, and it's a lengthy journey.

For those who remain patient and strong
Those who endure hardships with perseverance and fortitude will prevail.

She was shell, she was living hell
She was broken and tormented, suffering greatly.

She was naked on the floor
She was vulnerable and exposed, in a state of undress and weakness.

You can let go, you can let go
It's okay to move on and release the past.

We've got a new love now
There's a fresh start, a new romance or relationship to embrace.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Peter M. Murray

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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