P.O.W.A.

For the South African anti-violence to women NGO, see POWA.

"P.O.W.A"
Single by M.I.A.
Released8 February 2017 (2017-02-08)
Length3:16
LabelInterscope
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

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Morgan Britton, Luke (8 February 2017). "Watch MIA's stunning, political 'POWA' video". NME. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  3. ^ Aniftos, Rania (8 February 2017). "M.I.A. Releases Artistic New Video for 'P.O.W.A.': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b "M.I.A. Drops New Visuals For "P.O.W.A"". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Hear M.I.A.'s new single 'P.O.W.A.'". FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  6. ^ a b "M.I.A. takes aim in her video for 'P.O.W.A'". DIY. Retrieved 23 April 2017.