M.I.A. has made a career out of being unabashedly opposed to most things mainstream. Sure, she has performed at the Grammys and had a massive radio hit with “Paper Planes,” but the artist has never really ventured too far from her punk-meets-grime rap roots.

Opting for both substance and form, M.I.A. uses her polarizing image to propel her politically-conscious club music. She is headlining this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest for this very reason: she is an original in an era of wannabes.

Mainstream radio is surely in purgatory, but in the midst of this monotonous lull, artists are doing some crazy creative things with dance music.

M.I.A. is at the forefront of this movement, both prolific enough to grab headlines and innovative enough to inspire the booming subcultures.

Anticipate standout tracks from her new album, “MATANGI,” including “Bring the Noize,” the kind of unapologetic club song that graces otherworldliness. “Come Walk With Me” is probably the most romantic track M.I.A. has ever created, yet still exhibits her playfulness with sound and a bit of her signature sass. Her rapping skills shine on rapid-fire tracks like “MATANGI” and “Boom Skit.”

But if her newest album, which just released last week, or her elating YouTube Music Video Awards performance are any indication, M.I.A. is shooting for something beyond just selling singles or filling up clubs.