MUSIC: M.I.A Bad Girls Video

Anyone that has had to live with me will tell you that I'm obsessed with music videos; I still watch and copy them religiously like a teenage girl. Last week I stayed over at a male friend's (OK, yes a friend with benefits...) and subjected him to '100% Rihanna' and 'The Best of Britney' on Vevo for hours  (WM suggested this is 'single girl behaviour' - so perhaps I will limit it to 'Me' time in future).

I also fucking LOVE M.I.A, so what with her releasing her promo for 'Bad Girls' two days ago and her impending Super Bowl performance alongside Nicki Minaj and Madonna (who's video for Give Me All Your Luvin' leaves me a bit cold), I thought it was time to feature my girl.

Bad Girls sees M.I.A team up with French director Romain Gavras, who also shot the highly controversial promo for 'Born Free'. Whilst 'Bad Girls' doesnt have the same overtly political stance of the previous video, and certainly not even half of the shock value, it it still likely to draw a few raised eyebrows. Set in the Middle East - shot in Morocco - it shows street racers, immense car stunts and women with guns working ghetto fabulous hijabs; very 'if Versace did Burqas...'

The result reflects completely the high-fashion cultural mish-mash that defines M.I.A's work. This is what I love about artists like Maya, Kate Bush, Goldfrapp and 80s/90s Maddona - their videos are visual portrayals of the main event: the music. Other artists (yes sorry Lady Gaga) sometimes swamp their tracks with overdone promos.

So enjoy - I'm off to refine my 'middle east goes ghetto' look before this summer. GC