FKA twigs has released the first single from her new lockdown album.
The single sees the former Crack Magazine cover star join forces with Headie One and Fred again… Directed by Emmanuel Adjei – who’s previously worked with Beyoncé on Black is King – Don’t Judge Me comes with a star-studded video that features cameos from Clara Amfo, Munroe Bergdorf, Efua Baker, author Reni Eddo-Lodge, CEO of Black Girl Festival Nicole Crentsil and more. Watch the video via the player above.
On the video Adjei said, “In this audiovisual document we get to witness artists FKA twigs and Headie One, amongst other Black British influentials, fighting against invisible forces of judgement and oppression. Having the enormous Victorian-inspired fountain Fons Americanus by visual artist Kara Walker – depicting the historical, sorrowful story of slavery and colonisation – as our setting, and particularly as the spirit of the film, this important monument creates another layer of depth and meaning to an invisible yet shared history.” [sic]
It’s not the first time twigs has teamed up with Headie One and Fred again… Last year, Headie One and Fred again.. released the joint mixtape GANG, which features twigs on the interlude Judge Me. On the collaboration, Fred again.. told Crack Magazine: “I played twigs Told and GANG and she was really moved by them and wanted to get involved. I’d made this sketch of pitching Headie’s vocal around that had loads of space and it just worked.”
twigs appeared on Louis Theroux’s BBC Radio 4 podcast this week, during which she spoke about new music and the recent lawsuit she filed against Shia LaBeouf. The star accused the actor of physical, mental and emotional abuse.
“Over lockdown, I wrote an album, all over the internet,” she told Theroux. “All working with people that I’ve never worked with before. I’ve got more collaborations and features on this album that I’ve ever had before. The majority of the people I’ve never met in real life, but we spent a lot of time with each other over FaceTime. To make an album over FaceTime is the epitome of an artist being isolated and still having the desire to make work. So I felt that I did that.”
She described her new music as “a lot lighter” than her previous releases. “I think I spent so much time in darkness with [Shia LaBeouf] that when I have been in lockdown I’ve been really missing my friends and going out, getting ready and dancing. I’ve wanted to make music for the people closest to me that I love.”
In November, Dua Lipa revealed that she had recorded a track with twigs. It was later teased during Lipa’s Studio 2054 live stream. A release date is yet to be confirmed. Watch a snippet below.
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