Summary
"Swords" is a song by British recording artist M.I.A. The track was written by M.I.A., Jerry Leembruggen, Ruben Fernhout, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Tevin Plaate and Kaushal Sahil. Leembruggen and Fernhout are part of the Partysquad, who produced the song alongside M.I.A. and Spanker.[1] The track is centred around the sound of clinging swords, recorded during filming the music video, and was completed overnight during the singer's stay in India.[2]
| "Swords" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by M.I.A. | ||||
| from the album AIM | ||||
| B-side | "Warriors" | |||
| Released | 17 August 2015 | |||
| Length | 2:24 | |||
| Label | Interscope | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| M.I.A. singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Matahdatah Scroll 01 "Broader Than A Border" on YouTube | ||||
The song was released as part of "Matahdatah Scroll 01 "Broader Than a Border"", which featured both "Swords", and the track "Warriors", from M.I.A.'s fourth studio album, Matangi. It was self-released worldwide, under exclusive license to Interscope on 17 August 2015. The song has not yet been performed live.
Music video edit
The six-minute music video, which featured both "Swords" and "Warriors", was directed by M.I.A. herself and premiered exclusively on Apple Music on 13 July 2015, simultaneously with the single. Filmed in Kolhapur city of Maharashtra, India, "Swords" features female dancers performing routines with swords and sticks, interspersed with scenes of M.I.A. in a 10th-century Hindu temple and lighting a big Om sign. The video for "Warriors" was shot in Ivory Coast in West Africa and features a Zaouli dancer. M.I.A. said she had seen a footage of him on YouTube and has spent two years trying to locate him.[3] She then flew to Africa and filmed his performance.[4]
Track listing edit
- "Swords" – 2:24
- "Warriors" – 3:41
- "Matahdatah Scroll 01 "Broader Than a Border"" (video) – 5:55
Charts edit
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[5] | 188 |
| US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs (Billboard)[6] | 14 |
| US Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[7] | 38 |
Release history edit
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 17 August 2015 | Digital download, streaming | Interscope |
References edit
- ^ "Matahdatah Scroll 01 "Broader Than A Border"". Vevo. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ Al Horner (13 July 2015). "MIA Slays On Sublime New Single 'Swords' - First Listen Review". www.nme.com. NME. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Alyssa Klein (13 July 2015). "Does M.I.A.'s New 'Broader Than A Border' Video Feature Côte d'Ivoire's Best Dancer?". www.okayafrica.com. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ Daniel Kreps (13 July 2015). "Watch M.I.A.'s 'Matahdatah' Video Featuring New Track 'Swords'". www.rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ^ "M.I.A. DANS LES CHARTS FRANÇAIS" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "M.I.A. - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ^ "M.I.A. - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016.