MIA plays main stage at Coachella

MIA took to the main stage at the Coachella festival at the weekend, with a mixed result.

The new mum declared at the end of her hour-long set "next time I'm back in the tent" after her performance had a few hiccups despite a strong start.

"I want to be in the sweat," she continued.

MIA had performed twice in smaller tents at the US music festival, in its 10th year and one of the nation's most prestigious.

She had earlier said: "I really don't know how to bring it on the main stage."

Her live show staples - climbing on speakers, dancing body-to-body with the crowd - didn't quite fit the new digs. When she tried to bring some of the audience onstage on Saturday night, security guards thwarted most fans.

She ended up on a platform above the crowd performing Bird Flu, and asked when it was over: "Can we get some order in the place? My baby's waiting."

While MIA moved alongside Day-Glo-clad dancers for a lively opening number, she stood stiffly at other times behind a podium adorned with microphones as if at a news conference. Roaming into the audience with help of a piggyback ride, she finished with crowd favourite Paper Planes, lifted to hit status by appearances in Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire.

But the British-born, Sri-Lankan-bred rapper pushed back against Hollywood. She slyly referenced her status as Coachella replacement for Amy Winehouse, who cancelled due to visa trouble, by singing: "They tried to make me do the Oscars. I said no, no, no."

And, she noted, "I want to let you know that just 'cos I did the Grammys, it doesn't mean I've gone all sold out."