This week, M.I.A. turned in her next — and final — studio album, Matahdatah, to “her American label,” Interscope. The only problem, though? She’s having visa issues, and she can’t travel to the United States to perform or promote the album.
I am handing my last LP in to my American label this week. It’ll be up to them if its released.I don’t have visa 4 states to promote or spk!
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) May 2, 2016
Can’t tour the US without a visa- might have to start writing songs 4 Dj Khaled and Selene Gomez to get heard
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) May 2, 2016
So far, Mathangi has officially released two singles from the project: “Swords” and “Borders,” both which come with staunch, politically charged themes.
She’s followed the singles with a couple of unofficial releases, “Boom ADD,” where she came after the NFL and Roger Goodell, and “OLA/Foreign Friend.”
It’s kind of hard to drop an album in the U.S. without being able to step foot in the country, so it seems we’ll have to wait a bit before M.I.A.’s next album can ring in our ears.