Well, that was quick. A mere 73 days after basically announcing her retirement at Bonnaroo Music Festival, cult Brit/Sri Lankan M.I.A. told Entertainment Weekly that she’ll be working on a new record soon. What caused the change of heart? M.I.A.’s song “Paper Planes,” from her 2007 record Kala, has had a huge spike in popularity after being featured in the stoner flick Pineapple Express‘ trailer. Here’s what she had to say to EW:
When you performed at Bonnaroo this year, you said it was going to be your last ever show. Did you mean it?
Well, it was my last ever show. And it still is. I stopped touring after that and I didn’t want to make music again. I was quite happy to just leave it all behind. I was happy with what I had achieved. Now, with the success of “Paper Planes,†there’s pull for me to make another record. Even my mum believes in me more [laughs]. It’s a nice encouragement. But I was planning my life as a fishing woman on the outskirts of Cambodia. That’s a joke.
–Melanie Donnelly
M.I.A. – Paper Planes