Double Bubble Trouble

"Double Bubble Trouble" is a song by recording artist M.I.A. from her fourth studio album, Matangi (2013). It is written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Ruben Fernhout, Jerry Leembruggen, and produced by DJ Punish (Richard Westra). The track references Shampoo's 1994 hit song "Trouble",[1] and incorporates such musical styles as reggae, trap [2] and kuduro.[3] "Double Bubble Trouble" was released as a promotional single in the Netherlands in 2013 and Sweden,[4] before becoming the fifth and final official single from Matangi in 2014. The song was performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers on 13 May 2014[5] as well as on the 2014 Matangi Tour.

"Double Bubble Trouble"
Single by M.I.A.
from the album Matangi
Released30 May 2014 (2014-05-30)
Recorded2013; Jungle City Studios (New York City)
Genre
Length2:59
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
  • Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam
  • Ruben Fernhout
  • Jerry Leembruggen
  • Rypke Westra
Producer(s)The Partysquad
M.I.A. singles chronology
"Y.A.L.A."
(2013)		 "Double Bubble Trouble"
(2014)		 "Sexodus"
(2015)
Music video
"Double Bubble Trouble" on YouTube

Critical response

"Double Bubble Trouble" received generally positive feedback from music critics. Hugh Montgomery of The Independent named it one of Matangi's "sublime, fully formed songs"[1] while Jesal 'Jay Soul' Padania of RapReviews.com stated that the song is "fucking crazy and completely epic".[6] However, in his PopMatters review, Arnold Pan was less enthusiastic, and while appreciating the song's "globetrotting" blend of "dub reggae rhythms, Indian strings, and hip-hop conventions", he also claimed that M.I.A. has "done similar things to more dazzling effect before, since there's less development here as she moves between these traditions rather than weaving them together more intricately".[7]

Chart performance

When released as a single in 2014, "Double Bubble Trouble" failed to impact music charts. However, the track had charted in France in November 2013, solely on individual downloads from its parent album.

Music video

On 10 April 2014, the singer reached out to her fans on Facebook and Twitter, explaining that she needed identical twins for "Double Bubble Trouble" video shoot, which she said would take place in London on 11 and 12 April.[8][9] The music video for the song was directed by M.I.A. herself on location in Peckham, South London.[10]

The video begins with adolescents printing weapons using a three dimensional printer. It also features scenes of M.I.A. posing against the wall with '1984 is now' written on it, referencing George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four,[11] as well as Barack Obama's 2008 campaign slogan 'Yes We Can' modified into 'Yes We Scan', which alludes to scanning and storing personal web information by Google. The Partysquad, who produced the song, also make a cameo appearance in the music video.[12]

M.I.A. premiered the video on 19 May 2014, tweeting a link to it, and revealed that her record label Universal Music Group had been holding the video for four days and would not let the singer release it.[13] When M.I.A. published the clip on YouTube herself, the label blocked it on copyright grounds, but reversed the decision when faced with an outpouring of protest.[14] The video went viral and quickly reached 2m views on YouTube. It has been noted and praised for its political undertones.[15][16]

Track listing
Digital download[17]
  1. "Double Bubble Trouble" – 2:59

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[18] 179
US Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[19] 37

References
  1. Montgomery, Hugh (10 November 2013). "Album review: MIA, Matangi (XL)". The Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  2. Ham, Robert (5 November 2013). "M.I.A.: Matangi :: Music :: Reviews :: Paste". Paste. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  3. Calvert, John (3 December 2013). "Matangi - FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". Fact. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  4. "M.I.A. (2) - Double Bubble Trouble at Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. Josiah Hughes (13 May 2014). "M.I.A. "Double Bubble Trouble" (live on 'Meyers')". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  6. Padania, Jesal 'Jay Soul' (5 November 2013). "M.I.A. :: Matangi :: N.E.E.T/Interscope". RapReviews.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  7. Pan, Arnold (4 November 2013). "M.I.A.: Matangi". PopMatters. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  8. MIA (10 April 2014). "MIA - ARE YOU A TWIN? ARE YOU FROM LONDON ? ARE YOU ON INSTAGRAM ?..." www.facebook.com. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  9. M.I.A (10 April 2014). "M.I.A on Twitter: "identical twins needed for double bubble trouble video Fri / sat 11th 12th in London"". twitter.com. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  10. "Ayodeji Oluwa". www.starnow.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  11. Locker, Melissa (19 May 2014). "M.I.A. Debuts the Video for "Double Bubble Trouble": Watch". Time. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  12. Rigby, Sam (19 May 2014). "MIA makes directorial debut with 'Double Bubble Trouble' video - watch". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  13. Reed, Ryan (19 May 2014). "Watch M.I.A.'s Uncensored New 'Double Bubble Trouble' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  14. Slavik, Nathan (20 May 2014). "M.I.A. - Double Bubble Trouble". DJBooth. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  15. Pelly, Jenn (19 May 2014). "M.I.A. Directs Her Hyperactive, Political "Double Bubble Trouble" Video". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  16. Keay, Lara (26 May 2014). "Why you should watch M.I.A.'s new music video 'Double Bubble Trouble'". studentjournals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  17. "iTunes - Music - Double Bubble Trouble - Single by M.I.A." itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  18. "Lescharts.com – M.I.A. – Double Bubble Trouble" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  19. "M.I.A. - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
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