M.I.A. was born Mathangi Arulpragasam (sometimes referred to as Maya Arulpragasam). She was born in Hounslow, London and was one of three children in her family. Her parents are both Sri Lankan and her family moved back to Sri Lanka when M.I.A. was just 6 months old. M.I.A.'s father was a freedom fighter on the run from the Sri Lankan army, and she often had to see her father in secret.

M.I.A. released her debut album Arular. Although M.I.A. is known to take on serious issues in her music, she does so without sounding preachy or righteous. Her song Pull up the People is about poverty and Fire Fire about war refugees.