M.I.A.’s new album delayed for being too positive

Critically revered artist M.I.A. is running across a rather interesting conundrum while attempting to release her latest album. According to her label Interscope, the release entitled Matangi is “too positive.”

In an interview with Australia’s Gold Coast, M.I.A., real name Mathangi Arulpragasam, revealed the awkward position she finds herself in as she attempts to release her first album under her new label.

“I thought I’d finished it. I finished it and then I handed the record in, like a couple of months ago …  At the moment, I’ve been told it’s too positive. So we’re having a bit of an issue at the label. They’re like ‘You need to like darken it up a bit.'”

The artist who flipped off about a gazillion people during last year’s Super Bowl half time performance, when she appeared alongside Madonna, went on to give a hint as to why she may be having some issues at the label.

“My manager who I fired is now the head of Interscope so that’s also an interesting thing for me — revisiting people in different hats.”

M.I.A. was set to perform the songs off the album at a show in Australia over the weekend to get a first hand account from her fans on whether or not the songs work.

So how’s she taking the odd request of making her work a little less positive?

“I’m taking my time to decide what they mean. It’s an interesting one for me. It’s like ‘We just built you up as the public enemy No. 1 and now you’re coming out with all this positive stuff.'”

Matangi was originally set for a December drop, now fans we’ll have to wait until April to hear the new release.

Photo: WENN