Music has often been regarded as a universal language with the ability to connect people of all different kinds of backgrounds and experiences. Music also has powerful implications upon the world of politics whether it’s used to promote peace between nations or to offer a medium for people to express their feelings about current political rule and the struggles they face in society. For all of the covers and sampled beats used by artists all around the world as inspiration for new twists on old classics, music is often culturally explicit and personal. Many artists have used music to express political, economic, and societal unrest: from Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a Changin’” to Bjork’s “Declare Independence” to many songs from Beyonce’s latest album “Lemonade”, music has been used as a way to challenge existing systems.
M.I.A’s message in her song titled “Sunshowers” serves as the latter. “Sunshowers” as explained in the article titled London calling- For Congo, Columbo, Sri Lanka by Robert Wheaton. The song itself is upbeat and happy sounding but the lyrics and visuals that accompany the melody are extremely important, expressive, and subtle.
“Sunshowers”, lyrically and visually is actually a reflection on the conflicts between the Tamils and Sinhalese along with her personal experiences with living in a tension torn society. The conflict is a historically longstanding result of religious and ethnic differences. The Sinhalese have become established as the dominant group, holding a lot of political and economic power, while the Tamils struggle not only to hold power but also to make their issues and concerns heard. It is extremely important to note that before colonization occurred by the Portuguese, the Tamils inhabited Northern regions and the Sinhalese inhabited the Southern regions. While they worked together to find against the effects of colonization, they were soon separated by their cultural differences and desires for power.
Lyrically, M.I.A. has established a love turned sour story of “Sunshowers” but a deeper look into her choice of words and phrasing helps to create the story of a land divided by differences. One phrase that can be analyzed can be found in verse twelve “ He got Colgate on his teeth and Reebok classics on his feet, at a factory he does Nike, and then helps the family”(Metrolyrics) could be related to the colonization by Western countries that helped to further divide the groups as it references products heavily consumed in the West but also makes sure to mention that the person being described works to produce the popular shoes in a completely different society. Another part that directly references the cultural tensions between the groups is “ They showed him a picture then ain’t that you with the Muslims” (Metrolyrics) spoken right before the young man is murdered by the people questioning him. This can be seen as the man being killed for being connected to a different religion and culture- therefore seen as an enemy. This makes the listener question the true meaning of the word “sunshowers” as it could possibly relate to violence and the use of gunfire based weapons during war.
Visually, the video contains bright colors, young people, and several scenes of fun everyday activities accompanied by dancing in order to conjure a happy mood. However, there are images depicted throughout that hold significant value. As pointed out in the article, there are several cuts to tigers which are meant to depict the Tamil tigers, a guerilla organization that desire to establish an independent Tamil state. Through many failed attempts at peace and interrupted cease fires, it is estimated that 70,000–80,000 people have suffered, been displaced, or killed from violence resulting from the fight for independence (Editors). In reference to military control, the young women in the video are seen marching in formation similar to that of soldiers among the wild animals.
Another important case of symbolism can be found with the prominence of the color yellow. The young girls wear yellow bows and M.I.A. is shown with a yellow top. Yellow is regarded as the color with the highest value in the religion of Buddhism. Among other things, it is meant to signify humility and renunciation of material things. The Sinhalese practice Buddhism and it is the dominant religion between the two groups. The two cultures are existing with one another but as symbolized by the fog that is often seen in the background of scenes, there is unrest and disillusionment among the young girls who occupy the area. In that way, the Sinhalese and Tamils often occupy the same lands but not without unrest and conflict.
Even though many people may not have taken the same things from the video, artists often make bold statements at an unconscious level. Music and other images can be powerful extended metaphors of the world around us and many artists have taken the liberty to introduce people who are not aware or directly involved a look into the greater world. We have often discussed how the media plays an irreplaceable part in globalization and as a universal language, music is most definitely one of the most influential forms.
Editors of Encyclopedia Brittanica. “Tamil Tigers.” Britannica. britannica.com. 10 September 2015. Web.
M.I.A.“Sunshowers.” Youtube. youtube.com. XL Recordings. 23 October 2008. Web.
Metrolyrics. “Sunshowers.” metrolyrics.com.
Wheaton, Robert. “London Calling- For Congo, Columbo, Sri Lanka…” Pop Matters. popmatters.com. 6 May 2005. Web.
