With the sword in the director’s chair
As if the musical talent of the 34-year-old wasn’t reason enough to watch the videos of FKA twigs, she proves again and again that that she not just a big Kartist, but also is an outstanding athlete. For example, in the more than seven-minute clip for her song “Sad Day,” we see her using a wushu sword to fight a dancer she cast via social media. The video for which she is the director of Childish Gambino’s This Is America, Hiro Murai, is the result of three years of intense training with a Wushu swordsman.
But FKA twigs is also happy to take over the direction itself. For example with the videos “Holy Terrain” or “Don’t Judge Me”, in which she dances against racism together with rapper Headie One and producer Fred again.. in front of the monumental fountain “Fons Americanus” by artist Kara Walker.
At the video too “White Picket Fence” by Koreless led FKA twigs also in 2021 to the first Just for another artist’s song directing. The pair are close in their work, as the Welshman was previously involved in the production of FKA twigs’ second studio album, Magdalene.
queen of punk
When asked who is the biggest inspiration for their eclectic mix of streetwear and vintage, FKA twigs has a pretty clear, maybe unexpected answer: The singer Poly Styrene of the British punk band X-Ray Spex was a major influence. But not only the style of the artist, who died in 2011, but also the untamed energy of the debut album “Germfree Adolescents” by X-Ray Spex made her sing in the punk band “Delirium Tremens”.
The fact that FKA twigs owns a whole collection of corsets by punk fashion designer Vivienne Westwood fits seamlessly into her fascination with punk. She also has a passion for vintage Jean Paul Gaultier pieces.
In addition to the incomparable styling of her outfits, the singer designs her own merch collections. For the release of her latest mixtape, Caprisongs, she teamed up with her cousin, who designs for luxury streetwear brand Insubordinate. The result is shirts, hoodies and a pair of shorts made from high-quality material that were sold out in no time.
Off the shelf
FKA twigs was born with enthusiasm for dancing. As a salsa dancer, her mother encouraged her to take ballet and opera lessons from an early age. At the age of 17, Tahliah Debrett Barnett finally went to London to study dance and later music and visual arts. She danced her way through Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran and Jessie J’s videos before soon defining her sound under a new stage name.
Her outstanding pole dance moves were taught to her by Los Angeles-based choreographer Kelly Yvonne. FKA twigs used the sweaty barre work to regain her body image, which she lost in 2017 after having six tumors surgically removed from her uterus. Within a very short time, she mastered the art form so masterfully that her teacher described her as an exceptional talent. Her graceful, almost floating movements can be admired in the Cellophane video, which the idea for came up during her practice sessions.