On the heels of releasing her fourth album, “Matangi,” M.I.A. has brought her apocalyptic rave sound to life in the new video for “Y.A.L.A.” It’s so strobe-tastic that there’s a warning preceding the video — “this film contains flashing images” — so proceed with caution when you watch it here or below.
The Sri Lankan pop-meets-rap artist appropriates Drake”s Y.O.L.O. motto as her own, turning it into the karmic meditation “You Always Live Again.” The video for Y.A.L.A. is as disorienting as the stuttering trap beat of the song, featuring close-up, quick-cuts of a goddess-like M.I.A. under heat sensors and black light.
On Wednesday night, M.I.A. performed “Y.A.L.A.” on “Conan,” dancing in a bright red shawl in front of a flashing, wood-carved wheel. Watch it after the music video.
M.I.A. began her career as a visual artist and has consistently brought a colorful, chaotic aesthetic to her music. Read more about her visual work in a recent Spin profile.