Apple Music has revealed a teaser trailer for an upcoming audio-visual project by British/Sri-Lankan artist M.I.A. The rapper, real name Mathangi Arulpragasam, will release the project called, Matahdatha Scroll 01 Broader Than A Border, via Apple Music only, the tech giant’s new streaming service, on 13 July.
“Matahdatah Scroll 01 Broader Than A Border” from @MIAuniverse Monday. Only on #AppleMusic. http://t.co/KVWjNrHcJF https://t.co/r3OSzEnNh7
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) July 10, 2015
Apparently the project will include a few new songs (reportedly two) and a short film to accompany it. The move is as part of the Apple’s plan to create original content through their new streaming service, obviously keen to move on from the outcry against its original plan to not compensate artists for the streams accrued during a free three-month trial period aimed at users.
Similar to the tactic of Tidal, Apple has released material from artists like Eminem, Pharrell and Drake, with new video energy Energy in which he impersonates Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Pharrell and Eminem, to draw more users to its budding service. M.I.A, no stranger herself to dropping hints over social media about her upcoming work, released a little tidbit of what is to come via her own Instagram account as well (she also hinted to the project a few weeks ago):
#PLATFORMS #MIA A video posted by MIA (@miamatangi) on Jul 3, 2015 at 7:17am PDT
Not long ago, M.I.A also announced via Instagram that she had been working on a new mixtape and an accompanying short film. The Instagram is a screenshot of an email exchange discussing the project, which is a apparently devoid of ‘boundaries’ , full of ‘transitions’ and a 12 minute short film and with three songs. Check out the enigmatic message below:
The mixtape is her first since 2011’s Vicki Leekx. With a history of making pretty incendiary material (her video for 2010’s Born Free detailed the genecidal murder of a group of red heads), we’re sure whatever M.I.A releases will be as politically charged as ever.