#1

Cellophane

Performed by FKA twigs, Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang

Visually, FKA twigs is one of the greatest artists of the 2010’s. Every component of her music videos, live shows, artwork and photoshoots are constructed with overwhelming accuracy and detailing. Never a misstep or a blunder, you can guarantee the visual component of her works will be ethereal. The music video for Cellophane takes narrative, scene creation, 3D rendered visuals, FKA twig’s personal skills and a setting that matches the song it accompanies perfectly. Her makeup and costuming are also adjacent to the background composition throughout the scenes.

Andrew Huang creates a creature of twigs’ likeness- only it is a mechanical dragon made of clockwork that looks like it is out of a fairytale. The moment FKA twigs, pole dancing in the dystopian sky, places her heel on the dragon-esque creature to dismantle it is the greatest moment in any recent music video I can think of. Even when falling into the abyss after, the 360-degree angle camera following her tumbling and yelling into the camera is heart wrenching, accompanied by “didn’t I do it for you?” makes for an overwhelmingly powerful scene.