I have been following FKA Twigs ever since I saw her wide eyed, bobbling head on YouTube. I was simultaneously intrigued and disillusioned. As the months progressed, more videos started popping up, and her seemingly enigmatic persona began to reveal itself. I felt a constant pull between being deeply enthralled but also put off. Who is this person? Why does she dress like a new member of TLC? Wait, she dances too? Huh, she choreographs… directs… produces? Oh, and really- she is dating Robert Pattinson?
It was all so sudden and so well… cool, but at the same time there was always that aura of potential bullshit. Is this girl just a puppet being led around by her label? I mean let’s face it; she is a mixed race bird with a tight ass, a decent voice and has a cute British accent- with a minor lisp nonetheless.
In an attempt to demystify her media image I saw her for myself at the Young Arts Center. She entered the stage with matching sheer gold-flaked hoodie and pants, and with fans screaming (even crying), the music began. I have to say, it’s hard for me to remember the details of the show because I was mesmerized by her performance. No lip-syncing, no gimmicks, no bullshit. Her quality as a performer is exceptional, her energy is captivating, her voice is on point and her backing band pulls it all together. What was so endearing is that she literally puts her whole being into her work as an artist.
All that being said, she could still be a product of media manipulation but in the end who cares? She is a talented artist and deserves recognition for that and that alone. Her fashion, her man, her seemingly made up persona, just drop it people. Twigs has been getting a lot of unnecessary shade, but that is an inevitable byproduct of the current societal paradigm. Point blank, it was a breath of fresh air to see a female artist, in platforms and gold, standing her ground as a strong and powerful force to be reckoned with. So Twigs, it’s been an auspicious start but what’s next?