M.I.A. Talks Madonna, Super Bowl, and New Album

M.I.A. has remained out of the spotlight since the release of 2010’s ///Y/. Today she resurfaced with a new single “Bad Girls,” produced by Danja, and her first interview in months. Speaking with BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe from the Super Bowl rehearsals, the firecracker femcee dished on her upcoming performance with Madonna at Sunday’s halftime show, collaborating with the pop queen, and her fourth album, due this summer.

On performing with Madonna and Nicki Minaj at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis: “Yes, I’m going to the Super Bowl. Actually I’ve never been to the Super Bowl, so it’s my first time. I’m going to be performing with Madonna and Nicki Minaj. If you’re gonna go to the Super Bowl, you might as well go there with America’s biggest female icons.”

On collaborating with pop royalty: “She is the original. If you’re gonna support someone, that’s a pretty dope achievement. I’m sure my mum is gonna be way [more] into that than me putting ‘Galang’ out.”

On why she wanted to work with Madge: “As musicians, we’re two women and we represent two opposite sides of the world. If we can come together on a piece of music or something like the Super Bowl, I feel like that’s actually a cool thing to see this year because it’s getting silly out there.”

On her as-yet-untitled fourth album: “I want it to be a summer thing ’cause it’s a summer record. As soon as I finish the Super Bowl, I’ve gotta do another couple of weeks with European producers.”