Born 18th July 1975, M.I.A (Maya Arulpragasam) has started a revolution! With her powerful blend of disjointed beats and hints of electronica, her music echoes ethnic elements and what Nas describes as the "future" of music.

Maya's style evokes her Sri Lankan origins and UK upbringing. Infact, this has allowed her to create a fusion of hip hop, rap and reggae sounds. Her masterpieces include "Arular" (won Best Alternative Album in 2005), "Kala" (2007) and "Maya" (2010), most recently her Saudi Arabian inspired "Bad Girls."

I bring this unique musician to your attention because there aren't many artists out there who successfully manage to take inspiration from all over the world, extract elements from different cultures, and join them together to really create sensational world music! One to keep an eye (and ear) on!

DRESS UP: M.I.A

Be like Maya - Be inspired by different global cultures