P.O.W.A.

2017 single by M.I.A.

"P.O.W.A"

Single by M.I.A.

Released

8 February 2017 (2017-02-08)

Length

3:16

Label

Interscope

Songwriter(s)

Maya Arulpragasam

Producer(s)

M.I.A.
Kid Kamillion

M.I.A. singles chronology

"Freedun"
(2016)

"P.O.W.A"
(2017)

"Up Inna"
(2020)

Music video

"P.O.W.A" on YouTube

"P.O.W.A" (pronounced "power") is a song by British musician M.I.A., released on 8 February 2017 by Interscope Records. The video was released alongside the single, and was directed by M.I.A.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Background and composition

A "politically-charged track",^[4] "P.O.W.A" features lyrical references to Rihanna, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Barack Obama, Osama Bin Laden and the Spice Girls.^[5] The song also features chanting from M.I.A.^[6]

"P.O.W.A" samples "Blue Moon" by The Marcels.^[4]

Music video

"P.O.W.A"'s music video was directed by M.I.A and shot in Jammu & Kashmir, India. It displays the singer lying on a marigold truck, wandering several different desolate landscapes in J&K, capturing the state's natural beauty while wearing vividly-colored saffron saris to reference the famous colours of J&K, and a line of men dancing against a saffron wall.^[6]

References

^ Spanos, Brittany (8 February 2017). "Watch M.I.A. Call Out Pop Divas in Bold 'P.O.W.A.' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
^ Morgan Britton, Luke (8 February 2017). "Watch MIA's stunning, political 'POWA' video". NME. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
^ Aniftos, Rania (8 February 2017). "M.I.A. Releases Artistic New Video for 'P.O.W.A.': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
^ ^a ^b "M.I.A. Drops New Visuals For "P.O.W.A"". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
^ "Hear M.I.A.'s new single 'P.O.W.A.'". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
^ ^a ^b "M.I.A. takes aim in her video for 'P.O.W.A'". DIY. Retrieved 23 April 2017.