If the awards had been held in Paris, she probably wouldn’t have made it through the doors, but controversy-loving rap/hip-hop artist M.I.A walked onto the red carpet at last night’s Spike TV Scream Awards in a brightly-colored burqa.
The British-born star wore a floor length, colorful burqa, complete with head scarf and facial veil, accompanied by strappy black sandals and a shock of peacock blue eye shadow just showing through the slit in her veil.
The rapper had decidedly ‘styled-up’ the burqa, with love hearts emblazoned across it, the words ‘I Love You’ on the bottom and rose prints all over – and of course a sneaky pink braid which kept on making an appearance out the side of the face veil.
The burqa has been the center of much controversy around the world, with its ban already in place in France, and many other European countries considering it.
M.I.A is known for her work with women’s issues, human rights and other activism, so her unusually covered-up display was most certainly a statement on one of these issues. The singer chose not to explain her choice of red-carpet attire, just posing for the cameras in various poses.
The singer later changed out of the burqa for an on-stage performance which was equally eye-catching in a bright spangled yellow shirt with baggy pink pants. Perhaps she is advertising for a stylist?
M.I.A was joined by a host of more scantily-clad stars for the awards.
