Paper Magazine’s new issue has dual covers, one for Grace Jones and one for FKA Twigs. Surprisingly, I found the Twigs interview more interesting than the Grace Jones interview. Weird, right? Anyway, Twigs chats about “throbbing,” how she’s a traditional girl at heart and how she has no interest in being in Taylor Swift’s squad. RUH ROH. You can read the full Paper Magazine piece here. Some highlights:
Her diet: “Being on tour, you have to be strict: sushi, tuna, sea bass and vegetables… But I do love cake. Cake’s amazing.”
Bjork as an inspiration: “Obviously Björk is a very sexual and beautiful woman, but she often keeps her sexy on a down-low. I don’t really do that. I throb. Do you know what I mean? I have that throbbing energy, and I accept it, and I harness it when I need to. It’s not even a conscious thing.”
She has a different relationship with her fans than, say, Taylor Swift: “I think Taylor Swift is great, but I wouldn’t necessarily think, “Oh my god, I have to be friends with her.” When I meet fans, they’re quite creative and intelligent, kind, sensitive. Some are old ladies, witch doctors from Louisiana, kids that have just left art school. Gay or lesbian couples, straight middle-aged couples…I’m honest, and that comes out. Honest people come in lots of different types and they relate to things that aren’t straightforward. I’m happy that people can roll with me, give me a chance, and let me explain my songs through my visuals. But I don’t even like calling fans “fans.” It’s like, [pulls face ] Ugh, fans. [laughs] It’s just people that like your music.”
One of her obsessions is Prince: “There is one person: I met Prince when he did a little show at Paisley Park in Minneapolis, where I supported him. I was a little bit like, “Wow. I met Prince.” Because he is, obviously, so epic. But even then, he just gave me some black currant juice and we played table tennis.”
She’s doing this for her children: “Not the children of the world; I mean the children that I haven’t had yet. [pats her stomach] I’m quite traditional. You know that saying, “You can take the girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl”? I grew up in Gloucestershire, and there’s a certain format that people fit into. And I’m actually quite happy with that format. I’m quite happy to say, “Go to school, work hard on your GCSEs, do your A-Levels, get married, have children. Send your kids to a nice school. Make sure you’re in the right catchment area.” I do this because I want my children to have a nice life, and I want my children’s children to have a nice life. And I want my grandkids to be proud of what I’ve achieved. And I want to be a role model, but not for the world. I don’t mind about that — that’ll come or it won’t come. It’s no different from being a car salesman. Imagine if I said to a car salesman, “Why are you doing that?” [They’d say] ”Cos I want to work hard, and I want to have a nice life, and when I have kids, I want to be able to buy a house.” It’s still the same values. You’re looking at me like I’m mad.”
The whole interview is worth a read, actually. I’ve covered many Twigs interviews in the past year, and I think she’s recently learned how to talk to journalists, how to give good quotes while still keeping a big chunk of her life private. I like what she says about her life goals, how she sees herself as a country girl with kids, living in a good school district. It’s not rock ‘n roll, but it seems authentic to who she is.
Photos courtesy of Paper Magazine.
does this girl ever close her mouth?
thank you! I would like to see ONE picture of her with her mouth closed…it’s weird.
No. And that cover is VERY unflattering. Front wedgie and those awful shoes, whyyyy
She can and does. Her resting position is as you see. Some people can see their lips and some have the lips slightly apart. Hers more so from her jaw placement.
THANK YOU!! It drives me nuts. She’s posing, she’s not just walking down the street, shut your mouth or smile or SOMETHING. Also, was she asked to join the squad? I just can’t picture Taylor going “oh noes, now what will I do???”
That’s the only comment you have when presented with a post about her? It’s getting really boring. Think of something new to say please!
Im the same. It’s just how my lips are. They don’t close over my lips.
This question is so tired.
I’m a longgggg time reader…first post – yay me out the box! Yay CB – worthy!
I never knew her, sparkles valid for her rep…it happens, but I’ve read very little from her that I didn’t agree with. She’s appears a strong woman with a brain. Her music is not me, I thInk I’m too old to be her demographic. But the shade on her face…riles me.
Your cookie cutter barbie faces are over there —–>with Taylor, if this one is not for you…meh, ignore it, like I do all the cumberbatch posts.
If FKA Twigs can resist the ultimate friend collector, she truly will be the most powerful person in the world.
Good interview with her. I find her to be very likable. Pattinson is a very lucky guy to have her.
I thought her music would be a whole lot better than what it is. I don’t think she is a very good singer at all.
I agree. I dig her style and what she’s saying here but at the same time her aesthetic seems a little try-hard. And her music is okay, but groundbreaking and brilliant it isn’t…
Ok, I give it two months before she’s papped out with Swifty. Even Kanye is in her squad now.
Nah…Swifty is in Kanye’s she was singing his praises at the MTV awards. LOL
I don’t know you guys….there is something about her that’s “meh” to me. Am I the only one?
If so, I’ll go sit in the corner now :-/
If so, I’ll go sit with you.
Me too… IDK her body looks like a little boy to me
I really don’t get the hype about her either…she “throbs”? she has “throbbing energy”? heh???
As someone else said down in the thread, she seems pretentious, always acting like she’s some high class artist, too artistic for the masses who like Swift to really get and appreciate her…honey take a seat behind everyone else , Gaga is at the front of that line…and I can’t stand Gaga either…
and don’t get me started on her stage name, FKA Twigs? FKA??? more like WTF. I remember reading on CB that it’s some sort of reference to pot or smoking pot…wow how unexpected and original, an experimental “artist” likes pot…how “experimental of her…
FKA refers to Formerly Known As. Twigs was her original stage name but she had to change it because it was already taken.
No, I agree. I don’t find her attractive at all and that nose ring is so distracting. Her interview sounded nice though, I find her values refreshing.
No, you are not. She seems to be the new Lorde in the mainstream music industry; indie-ish, unconventional looking, “groundbreaking” music (which it isn’t) celebrated by critics for being freshman art student level creative and by feminists for…uh reasons. (I wonder if the industry stopped giving L this treatment because of Swift?) Next up: Halsey. bet you dollars to donuts in 6 months we’ll be here again with her.
@InvaderTak!! thank you, you just summed up exactly what I think and feel about her. It’s so good not to be alooonnnee 🙂
Some advice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI
I think she’s so so pretty, but her music is not my thing and she doesn’t quite catch my attention in interviews either.
Meh pretty much covers it.
I don’t get her appeal either. For me, she always look like she smells and need to take a shower. And her music is alright.
She reminds me of Gaga – wild artist persona, with a quiet personal life.
That last answer was really good. I’ve never heard a celebrity give the car salesman analogy before.
Is the photo cover photoshopped? Do her thighs really look like that? I have neither a positive or negative opinion, but the photo is somewhat jarring I guess since I’m not used to seeing a visual like that on such a petite person.
the photo threw me, too. it looks like they put her top on someone else’s bottom.
bad photoshop? like, they could both be her but from different pictures?…
She’s a lifelong dancer, I’m sure those are her thighs. Though I can’t past those ugly shoes, which is disappointing because I normally love shots like this.
That’s her thighs. She’s a classically trained dancer. They all have tighs like that. They are like athletes.
I think the shot could have looked better with ballet shoes. Something about those wedges make the shot look strange…maybe that leotard isn’t helping either…
I really dig her quotes and she comes across as thoughtful and down to earth.
BUT THAT COVER! She looks like a chicken on a grill.
Do you guys find this pic appealing, artistic, sexy… – whatever was intended – because I obviously don’t get it! O_o
Really good interview!! She got to meet Prince? Lucky bitch.
She looks gorgeous in these pics, her body WOOOO!!
also liked previous cd better than Melissa still
also let’s watch the “her mouth is not perfectly closed” people come in about these pics *grabs popcorn
Yes!!!! She looks amazing and I find her so attractive. The mouth open shit is getting old, seriously should she be doing a duck face pose…? This is what she looks like and I’m not sure how people don’t get that or belittle her for it.
Yes I sure wish they would let it go, it’s getting old. Also the “omg her nose ring is so disgusting” people. Get over it. People have mouths that are shaped differently and they have jewelry in different body parts. Nothing new.
LOL. I almost came here just to say “cue the mouth comments”.
Man, people really need to get out more if they’ve never seen someone with a mouth shaped like hers.
I love what she said about fans. She’s chill. I like her.
Me too. How many times can people comment on the mouth? It’s getting ridiculous.
Would I prefer it if she changed up her posing? Sure. But what’s with folks saying the same thing over and over again? It’s barely holding my interest to even comment this much on it!
I understand her situation as I have an overbite as well but have mastered that art of closing my mouth/smiling especially for pics
Honestly I find her perpetual open fish mouth poses distracting/annoying on such a pretty girl and I think she actually thinks its sexy
Dont really like this cover either she is sooooh much better than that
i think she actually thinks that this is how her mouth and jaw are and feels no need to master the art of making her face artificially do something it doesn’t.
I really like her, and I find her super interesting and down to earth. i’m biased though, because I’ve loved her music for ages (she’s been well known in the UK for a while now) and I love her whole aesthetic as well.
I am with Twigs on this one, I cannot be part of Swifty’s squad either. Primarily because I am done with puberty
Gold!!!
Ugly photoshoot. Her words contradict the image she displays.
Does it seem authentic to who she is? I have no problem with her goals but at no point does she say she’s doing this because she loves it.
I think Minaj displayed the same goals in one of her interviews. They look like guns for hire
Maybe it’s a myth that artists love what they do. Artists tend to suffer from a lot of anxiety and depression so I’ve often wondered how true it is that they really love their work a lot. Maybe they’re like everybody else who fall into the groove of doing something they’re good at but may not necessarily love as a field through their whole lifetime. I could see their interest in their fields ebbing and flowing like an accountant’s.
I wondering why you compare her to minaj? They have nothing in common, totally different style both musically and personally.
Seems like you only compared her because they are both black.
I can pretty much see her hoo ha!
yes, but don’t dare criticize her body because you know EMPOWERED. can’t these young women pose without their bits hanging out or almost hanging out. I don’t need to know how little pubic hair you have.
no you can’t, because she’s clothed. wtf.
really? if that vagina wasn’t waxed you’d be seeing pubic hair. That’s WTF.
first of all that’s not what a vagina is. you should google it or learn some anatomy. secondly, she’s not showing anything more than what you’d see from a woman wearing a bikini, so what is your point again?
Hahaha thats not her V! WTF!!! Clearly some people are not familiar with anatomy.
can’t these young women pose without their bits hanging out or almost hanging
@Meme
So you have never seen pictures of ballerinas from decades and decades ago in similar outfits doing a leap and showing same muscles and full skin? Never seen female and male body builders or athletes again similar state of undress and poses? All I have to say is I hope people SHOKED at this cover get out a little more and see female dancers performing. It will open your eyes to how beautiful athletes and dancers like FKA Twigs are in motion.
@Meme You didn’t have any criticism when Charlie Hunnam was shirtless or when Justin Bieber was nude and seminude. Seems like it’s only offensive to some when women show skin.
Love this girl.
And loved the interview.
Amazing.
It’s weird hearing a starlet wanting a “traditional” life, most people these days seem to want to be “different and edgy”(Miley comes to mind). This old school way that she is talking about is shunned nowadays, she might get some backlash for this.
That body, oh damn. I.Love.her. And anyone who flat out says they don’t want to hang out with fascist Barbie gets my vote. yessssssssssssssss.
fascist barbie! hahahha 😀 love it.
twigs is great. and her body is fantastic, too. I don’t get where the hating comes from. ah well
Love this interview, I think she is very down to earth. I love the comment about her feeling uncomfortable about “fans” and just thinking it’s people that love her music. That’s a great quote.
She is beautiful.
This girl is the bomb, love her. She’s the Minnie to Mickey while Taylor is just Goofy….agree and applaud anyone who isn’t Team Taylor. She has my old body though and I truly would appreciate having it back…but I hate all the food she thrives on, so I’ll go for size 8-10 and go to that taco party tomorrow night.
Unpopular opinion but I found her so pretentious. and she takes herself and her art so seriously, girl you make plain mainstream pop music.
I agree. She makes it sound like her music is above all these pop music coming out but it’s just the same.
No, it’s not mainstream at all. It’s rather inaccessible in most cases, not easy to listen to. But it’s unique and weird, and critics love it, definitely doesn’t appeal to everyone like mainstream pop would.
metacritic.com/music/m3ll155x-ep/fka-twigs
Yes but in musical “worth” her music is nothing especial in anyway (like Charlotte Bray or Jennifer Higdon). I feel the same way about her dancing, she does seems trained but she ain’t Tamara Rojo. Now, I’m not saying she has to be classically trained to be worthy, I’m just stating my scale of comparison. Twigs makes really good pop music, I like her videos and she has an interesting concept, but I do think she thinks of herself way more “artistic” than she actually is.
She’s not trying to be rojo though. Most people aren’t gonna be that good. That’s like saying an actors isn’t good because they aren’t meryl or cate blanchett.
She has classical dance training and did work as a dancer as a youth, if you listen to her interviews she said she still does classes every day. She keeps the rigour and discipline of a dancer.
I think she’s a performer that likes to blend music and dance, like she gets involved with the whole concept. The obvious comparison is kate bush. Of course musically she’s not as talented but I think she’s a far better dancer.
She seems pretty singular and hardworking in her approach my guess is she will create some good music down the line.
Saks, what makes an “artist”? Is Charlotte Bray or Jennifer Higdon more artistic to you because they create your type of art?
I sited Metacritic in my earlier comment to support my point – twigs has a score of 89. Not many artists achieve this, especially on their first/second attempts. Kate Bush – 85, Tame Impala – 84, Laura Marling – 81, Alabama Shakes – 80, Tinashe – 80, Drake – 78, Florence and the Machine – 77, Janet Jackson -77, Fetty Wap -69…..and so on.
I think she is artistic because her art is completely her own, and it’s her own vision. Critical consensus says that she is really good. Even though it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, that doesn’t mean she isn’t very talented, or less of an artist than others you like.
@sarah, ok granted, I put ridiculous high standards, and you are right.
@anname, it is not “my type of art”, the three women I stated (Rojo, Higdon, Bray) are tops in fine arts, which do recquire a higher level of talent, work, studies, etc.. But If my previous comments came across as demeaning the talent and work in pop culture, it was not my intention as I do think there is art in every cultural display. And as I said before I do find Twigs talented, just not super special.
I did find her pretentious in previous interviews, but she comes across as pretty grounded in this interview. I’ll reserve judgement.
With each interview I like her more. Love these answers!
Me too.
Oh wow she comes off so much better in this interview then some others, and I like her analogy of the car salesman. Very down to earth.
On the other hand I can only imagine the uproar if she has Sparkles’ baby.
You guys are such haters…lol…celebitchy is my favourite for honesty…
I can’t get over how super buff she is … she is very petite, but in these pictures she looks like a kick-ass warrior with amazing leg muscles.
She’s a trained dancer. She has a typical dancer’s body. Slim, with toned, long muscles.
I find her so lovely.
Omg FKA just strike me down bc she talks basic bs and is so boring!!!!!
I love her and her music. Just love.
You know what’s weird? The Twihards are convinced Kirsten Stewart is the super traditional type, who just wants to be barefoot and pregnant. An irony in it.
Cake is amazing ,especially chocolate cake.
Gurl. Come sit next to me and let us rhapsodize about cake. Loooove chocolate cake. Also red velvet. A friend of mine recently made red velvet cream cheese cake and I about orgasmed when I had my piece.
So um, yeah. I too like cake.
Great interview… The mouth people complaints sound like you sniff glue at this point. She looks great and interview sounds like she knows where she’s going. And what she needs to work on. Damn that bod – loved the no makeup look.
I like Twigs and I like this photoshoot, but the cover pic is really unflattering… She looks manly, and her V is hanging out so we can see the waxed parts, ehh
I find that pose kinda gross. I know, I know, but it is! I don’t know why. Also, I can’t do the “mouth breathing” look.
Gross? Lol.. Ok fräulein..
Yes, I feel like her crotch is in my face. But! Granted, I have never been a fan of highwaisted bathing suits or undies on men or women.
I agree Tacos. I wish I could unsee it. She obviously has a great body, but I don’t need to see it like that. *clutches pearls*
See what? What is it you are seeing thats so gross? You are not seeing anything that you don’t see in any woman wearing a bathing costume. Fyi the “gross” pose is just her “on pointe” they made it a bit funkier with the heels instead of ballet shoes. I guess you two ladies won’t go see ballet any time soon..
Most women excluding the Kardashians don’t wear bathing suits that high cut on public beaches.
Oh, and ballerinas tend to wear tights under their leotards. I have never had to worry about dancer’s “lips” slipping out during a performance and I’ve seen plenty of ballets.
There are no “lips” you people work yourself into outrage through an overactive imagination. Lmao! Too funny!
She slays!! Love the editorial!
What I get from that cover photo is that Rob loves boy-girls with waxed bits. Yes, I know she’s muscular due to her dancing, and more power to her. But it’s also obvious that that body type must really appeal to Sparkles. Twigs could probably snap a steel rod in half with those thighs of hers. Stamina…that’s all I’m saying…
As to the interview, it’s better than the last few I’ve read. She usually says something so pretentious that my eyes roll out of my head. This was much better. I wonder if she’s finally getting some media training–or maybe she’s finally just listening to it.
boy-girls? what a sexist comment. seriously there are some posts i just avoid around here, because i know they’re going to be full of these sort of comments. ugh.
boy-girls??? seriously?? not all women are born with hour glass figures. what an incredibly rude thing to say about someone’s natural body shape.
@Luvslatte I don’t see boy-girl , I see dancer. Maybe you are not familiar with dancers but this is what a dancers body looks like. Its not an emancipated hollywood starlet body. A dancers body needs to be strong.
Here is a dance video she did, as you can see there is nothing particulary boyish about her in motion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nGFNayjYrM
Dear God, that has to be the worst ‘dance’ video I have ever seen.
@ crumpet
Erm…you coming off a tad melodramatic, you think you see her vagina shock horror..,and she,according to you, produced the worst dance video EVER seen by man. 😂
Interesting. When he was hanging around with Kstew, I remember a slew of comments saying how she looked like a 12-year-old boy, and that Sparkles must love that no-curve, flat-as-a-board look. But now that she’s out and Twigs, who has a similar body type, is in, people rush to defend. This gal is like a more muscular, toned version of Kstew. All I’m saying is that he must like ’em short with no curves.
I disagree.
Kristen, though skinny af, has hips. Not boobs, really, but she has hips and a nice bum for her body.
Tahliah had an ass, boos, and thighs, but no hips. They both have different body types. And while Kristen was skinny, she was flabby (Her words, not mine “skinny-fat”), soft. T is more toned bc she’s a dance.
People criticizing T for her body are the same lames who criticize Serena Williams and Jessica Simpson’s calves. You can’t win with these ppl.
In awe of that body! Wow!
The pearl clutching around these parts about everything FKA Twigs is mildly hilarious. From her mouth to her music to her poses to her nose ornament, and now a refusal to be recruited to the Cult of Swift…..
mildly hilarious but also quite grating.
Truth.
Seriously I can’t stop laughing at some of the comments here. So much hyperbole and outrage over this girl.😂
For some reason she gives me the creeps.
I think she sounds unpretentious and kind of sweet when you hear her real-life speaking voice. Although maybe an English/British accent makes everything sound better…(stereotype, I know, but her voice is rather soft-spoken in real life which gives a different vibe to her words)
I watched an interview/performance clip on youtube, and you’re right. She sounded very sweet and I liked the song she did too. But I looked at more of her stuff and I just didn’t “get it”.
She is gorgeous, and different and intelligent, and that “open mouth” is sexy as hell!
I so wish this criticism towards someone’s physical features would just stop!!!! We do not choose what our bone structure, teeth alignment, size and such are like. Not all the time. Some people chose intervention, and surgery can only work in some cases, not in all cases.
She is a very talented young woman, works hard, she is independent, and I do believe she has solid self-esteem. Very good for her! And future children.
And the photo cover? Again, who cares? We don’t have to assume that she chose how to pose, maybe it was the photographer or art director or whoever.
I think she is awesome. I almost never buy Paper but i might buy it to read her interview.
I like her style and general aesthetic. The taylor swift thing drives me misanthropic.
I’m not super familiar with her music but I don’t really see what’s not to like here. Her interview was solid and she looks amazing! I’ve been reminded numerous times that this is called Celebitchy for a reason, but why all the negative talk about people not being good-looking or sexy enough? Who are you measuring her against and why??
I like her because she doesn’t fit or even want to fit the pop princess mold… There was a time when singers were unique and just not manufactured. Taylor Swift is so manufautured, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry Rita Ora..even Beyoncé and Rihanna are becoming cliched. Twigs is like Bjork and Grace Jones just out there… And this fact that the masses don’t get her makes her better. She’s got a fan base that appreciates what she does and it’s best when ones audience feels like they are listening to a new voice.