Nellie McKay Supports M.I.A. in Spat With New York Times

It's safe to say that jazzy singer-songwriter Nellie McKay has strong opinions and isn't afraid to voice them. On her September-released album, 'Home Sweet Mobile Home,' one lyric rings out: "The New York Times is making up the news." But, as McKay tells Spinner, the line wasn't meant as a complete slam against the newspaper.

"Whenever you mention a person or institution, it's always it's a good thing for them," she says. "It isn't meant literally or unilaterally. Everything is invented. Everything seems unreal. I thought of changing it. I don't necessarily want to give them a plug."

McKay does, however, empathize with M.I.A.'s public tussle with the newspaper that had everyone talking about truffle fries. "Good for M.I.A. You'd love to have a retraction, but it takes too much energy. It's like Jack Lemmon in 'The Out of Towners': 'My lawyer will be in contact with your lawyer.' It's nice when someone actually does it."

On her 2009 release 'Normal As Blueberry Pie -- A Tribute to Doris Day,' McKay honored the singer who put her money where her mouth is, especially when it came to animal rights. "When someone is working for the animals, it's a chief issue because they have the furthest to go," McKay says. "Of course, it makes you want to see all her movies and listen to all her records."

Having a platform as a singer-songwriter is empowering, says McKay. "It's wonderful because it's very hard to do as one of a mass," she admits. "You feel your voice gets drowned." But the New York-based artist doesn't think she's particularly political in her work or her private life. When you get down to it, she thinks everyone is political: "You can't be apolitical. If you say you're apolitical, you're still taking a side."