M.I.A. is going big on the Coachella Stage, in her third appearance at the festival and her first on the main stage. She said that last time she had six songs for the crowd. Now she has seven.
Also, just because she did the Grammys doesn’t mean she sold out, she said.
She is shimmying much like she did at the Grammys, but without that unborn kid weighing her down.
Her cadre of dancers took the stage in blacklight fluorescent colors not seen since Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” video from 25 years ago.
She came out dressed as a dictator (or a police chief?) and started rapping at a podium that was set up like a press conference with a ton of microphones.
She also hasn’t had DJ Blackstar stop playing this REALLY annoying air horn.
About three songs in, it seems she has technical problems and asked for a line check.
“Thanks for having me on the main stage,” M.I.A. told the crowd.
“They tried to make me do the Oscars and I said ‘No,No No,” she sang, referencing Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” M.I.A. replaced Winehouse after the tabloid queen couldn’t get a visa due to assault charges.
By the way, I haven’t seen this much neon since my closet in 1989.