Fighting the darkness: M.I.A. on music, spirit, and breaking free from industry chains

The music industry has gotten really dark. Between depictions of Satan and flirtations with pornography, there doesn’t seem to be much room for good music any more. However, some artists disagree and are pioneering a path away from the evils of the mainstream music industry.

On “Zero Hour,” M.I.A., record producer, rapper, and singer, sat down with James Poulos to discuss her pushback against the mainstream music industry, how music affects the spirit, and the future of music.

M.I.A. described the limitations that are placed on artists who go through the traditional route of music production: “When you’re a musician, it’s the fact that you have to put it through the channels of an industry that it gets corrupted, and it gets put into a box.” She went on to say that “even the producers think the avant-garde is the exact same as the mainstream,” referring to up-and-coming artists who look and act exactly like the most popular people in the industry.

They also discussed the effect of music on people’s spirit, whether we know it or not. She said, “Music directly accesses your spirit, and it does it without permission. ... There’s a level of responsibility and knowledge that you have to have, and we don’t have it [in the mainstream music industry].”

While the present state of music is abysmal, M.I.A. has hope for the future: “Music has been hijacked because it became a business. But some people still know the value of music, and good music still exists.” Every path that leads away from the mainstream is an improvement, and M.I.A. hopes to inspire others to break away, too.

To hear more of what M.I.A. had to say about mainstream music, alternative paths for artists in the future, and more, watch the full episode of “Zero Hour” with James Poulos.