Sarah Melissa

For FKA Twigs, it appears that her music is either hated and pushed aside, or celebrated - but isn't that the way music is supposed to be? You could argue that some of the most legendary artists - David Bowie, Michael Jackson or Kate Bush, for example - use their music to push buttons and experiment. They do not create songs knowing what their audience want to hear, but instead put together tracks that push boundaries and stay true to their own unique selves. Twigs is one of these artists.

FKA Twigs ( her real name is Tahliah Barnett ) has been compared to a number of artists. Her songs are full of texture that ranges from RnB singers such as Aaliyah and Ciara, to the breathy, feminine vocals of Mandy Moore and Lana del Rey. A significant influence in my opinion is Kate Bush. Both Bush and Twigs similarly are not afraid to take risks, and use dramatic, acrobatic dance movements to convey the sensual themes in their songs. Dazed and Confused magazine describes her music as "...raw melancholic sensuality that teeters from submissive to dominant within a few bars" and I have to agree, her songs seem to shift between layers of emotions. Twigs has previously said that she grew up on unconventional genres of music - no Beatles or the Spice Girls for Twigs, but think more along the lines of opera, jazz and African fusion - so it is not surprising that her song's in her album, LP1, stand apart from other current artists.

As well as being musically talented, Twigs self-directs many of her music videos and is an extremely experienced dancer, appearing in many other music videos before her fame. Twigs is also admired for her unique fashion choices, and she often experiements with her style. For several appearances Twigs has used what can be described as war-paint as make-up, painting delicate, tribal patterns across her face to visually capture the contrasting themes of assertiveness and vulnerability reflected in her music. Her presence, songs, and name, Twigs, suggest that there is an air of vulnerability surrounding Twigs - for instance, others have described her as extremely shy by nature, and in previous interviews she describes her struggle with being different - she has discussed her experience during childhood of being the only mixed-raced girl at school. However, Twigs is also an assertive, creativly confident and ambitious director, who clearly knows what she wants and is quickly on her way to getting it.

Aside from her intriguing persona, I am a huge fan of her music. I have to say, my favourite track of hers, 'Hide', sounds better performed live. I love the delicatre blend of the guitar in the chorus, which fits perfectly with the ongoing percussion beat that is the scaffolding for the entire song. This song is full of emotion. Other favourites of mine are Two Weeks, Pendulum, and Papi Pacify. The video for Papi Pacify is stunning and powerful - it's theme of being submissive in a relationship has caused controversy by critics for being shocking, although the video is only suggestive. The video is edited in black and white, using mesmerising movements that are both violent and delicate, and perfectly intertwine with Twigs' vocals. (I also have to say that her nails look fabulous in the video too).