MIA. (alternative spelling: Mia.) is a German punk/new wave/rock/pop band from Berlin. Biography MIA. originally formed in 1997 when TV host Sarah Kuttner introduced schoolmates Mieze Katz (real name Maria Mummert) and Andreas Ross (who later changed his name to Andy Penn) to Robert Schütze and Ingo Puls. They took on Hannes Schulze as drummer and one year later the band, then called Me in Affairs, signed a contract with newly formed independent music label R.O.T. (Respect or Tolerate). They soon abbreviated their band name to MIA., but now claim the letters do no longer stand just for Me in Affairs, but also for things like "Musik ist Alles" ("Music is everything") and that there is no such thing as a "correct" translation of their name. In 1999, the band released its first single "Sugar My Skin" on major label BMG, but due to artistic differences the members soon asked to be released from that contract. In 2001 they followed up with their second single "Factory City". At the same time Gunnar Spies replaced Hannes Schulze, who had left the group due to personal reasons. Afterwards MIA. released their debut album Hieb & StichFEST via Sony Music, which had moderate success in Germany. 2003 saw the band being heavily criticized for their song "Was es ist" ("What it is"), released on an EP of the same title. The lyrics, based on a reference to Erich Fried's 1983 love poem of the same name, featured romantic references to Germany and the colours of the German flag, topics that due to Germany's difficult history, especially the 'Third Reich'-era, many political leftists and especially Anti-Germans consider forbidden territory. MIA. claim the song was meant to provoke a discussion about Germany as a home and as a place to change and design. Furthermore, they consider themselves politically on the left. In 2004, the band went on with its second album Stille Post. The longplayer spawned three singles, including "Hungriges Herz" ("Hungry Heart"), which was chosen for the German pre-selection of the Eurovision Song Contest and reached number 24 on the official Singles Chart. The album simultaneously peaked at number 13 on the Album 100 and was eventually certified with gold. Their third album Zirkus was released on 21 July 2006. It entered and peaked the German album charts at number 2, making it a surprise hit for the band and MIA.'s most successful album