Mathangi Arulpragasam, aka MIA, first came to people’s attention back in 2005 with her singles Galang and Sunshowers both hugely praised by the music media for their originality; raucous blends of ragga, pop, hip hop and electro underpinned by M.I.A.’s unique half rapping half singing style and politicized lyrics. Her first album Arular,which she also created all the artwork for, was named after her father, a leader of the Tamil Tigers political group in Sri Lanka, a cause her music often addresses. The album was critically adored, and was nominated for the Mercury Music prize. Her second album Kala, named after her mother, contained the massive singles Boyz and the Diplo-produced Paper Planes. The success of these singles bought her wider recognition, as did her hugely popular online mixtape with Diplo, Piracy Funds Terrorism.

Never afraid to court controversy, she is known for being outspoken and open about her political beliefs, with the recent video for the single Born Free from latest album Maya banned from You Tube for graphic content. She performed with Jay-Z and T.I. at the Grammy awards last year, just a few days before giving birth to her first child. She is also an accomplished artist, graduating from St. Martins and creating artwork for the likes of Peaches and Elastica as well as much of her own back catalogue, known for her bold, unique visual style. She was recently named by Time magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world, and has been nominated for two Grammy awards and an Oscar for her work on Slumdog Millionaire.

Annie Mac has established herself as one of the most important names on British radio today, with her hugely popular Friday night show on Radio 1 which is a platform for the best new music from across the dance music spectrum. Playing anything from electro, dubstep, to techno or drum and bass, it is difficult to overstate her influence on the scene, with countless acts coming to prominence through her featuring of their music. The now famous mini mix section on the show allows DJs to showcase their sets condensed into a five minute time frame, with DJs such as Jamie xx, Chase & Status, Crookers and Doorly all taking up the challenge.

She is also a hugely accomplished club DJ, her sets as upfront, eclectic and exciting as her shows. She DJs around Europe, often hosting nights under her Annie Mac Presents brand at festivals such as Bestival, Creamfields and RockNess, as well as clubs such as Koko and Fabric. She also regularly appears on BBC2’s The Culture Show as a music critic.