M.I.A. Takes A Stand On The Syrian Refugee Crisis In New "Borders" Video
With brutal conflicts raging in Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and elsewhere, the current global refugee crisis has become one of the defining issues of 2015. It is more than just a news story--the upheaval, danger and discrimination that refugees now face in their search for a new life is a struggle in which the whole human race is culpable. Politicians, businesses and artists all must find ways to respond, and in a new interview, M.I.A. has offered a determined, compassionate take.
"As a musician," M.I.A. stresses, "I feel like we are part of promoting ideas to people. You know, ultimately we fight to get what we do in the West into the homes and the screens of every single person on the planet. We want to make money off it, and you want to sell 50 million Taylor Swift records to people in Africa." The singer's own relationship with the Western market has been a complicated one, and as she's grown in popularity there's been a clear attempt to remain true to her activist principles. It's apparent in her most recent music video for "Borders," and in her continued comments in the interview.
"If the West is so deliberate in promoting its brands," she said, "and is using art and culture to inspire people's dreams, how can the West then turn people away?" Listen to the full interview below.
