Image: Matthew Stone

FKA twigs is an experimental singer, and dancer from the UK who has the limitless ability to draw you in, and make you feel things you may have never felt before while listening to music. Twigs has been making creative content for years, but has recently taken the world by storm with her latest full-length album, MAGDALENE. Read on for details.

It had been a few years since fans had heard any music from the mystical performer known as FKA twigs. For a while, it seemed like modeling, dancing, practicing Wushu, and recovering from a scary surgery was about all fans knew was happening with twigs. There wasn’t any sign of new music until the single “Cellophane” was released in April of this year. The emotional lyrics, and the accompanying music video with stunning visuals sent fans into a frenzy, as they could finally anticipate a forthcoming album from twigs. On September 9th, fans got an official release date for MAGDALENE, along with the very beautiful album cover art. After waiting two months, and being baited with singles such as the surprising collaboration with Future on “holy terrain”, and the solo track “home with you”, MAGDALENE released on November 8th.

For long-time fans of twigs, this album may have been a surprise. The tone and messages in MAGDALENE seem a lot different than other projects by the artist; such as LP1, and M3LLI55X. FKA twigs was in her early twenties when first putting out music on stream services, and during those times, her music was very provocative, electric, sexy, and strange in all right ways. With MAGDALENE, listeners get FKA twigs after years of growth, heartbreak, pain, and wisdom. Although this album still contains elements and themes that fans of twigs know and love, there are also new branches of uncharted territory gracefully woven throughout this project. MAGDALENE is very telling, and shows twigs at what may be one of the most honest and vulnerable points she has been at in her entire music career.

Before getting into the tracklist, it is important to discuss the relevance of the theatrics and themes of this album. The beautiful costume designs, the play-like concert performances, and the title of the album are all attributed to biblical saint, Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene is a figure known throughout history as the witness to Jesus’ crucifixion, his burial, as well as his resurrection. There are also popular, yet likely inaccurate accusations that Mary Magdalene was seen as prostitute, who may even have had a sexual relationship with Jesus. Magdalene has been referred to as the “sinful woman”, but she is actually considered as a saint, and a heroine of faith, as she was one of Jesus’ closest apostles. In the track “mary magdalene”, twigs seems to hint more towards the dismissed sex appeal of Mary Magdalene, as she sings very intimately: “True as Mary Magdalene, creature of desire. Come just a little bit closer to me”. Whether the concept of this album is meant to follow the holy or sinful reputation that proceeds Mary, is perhaps subjective to the listener. Regardless, Mary Magdalene is a symbol of truth, loyalty, and love.

“Mary Magdalene”. Painting by Carlo Crivelli

The MAGDALENE track list is filled with very strong and insanely heartbreaking writing. FKA twigs immediately gives opera-level vocal range on the opening track “thousand eyes”, as she sings elegantly while warning that this will be her last goodbye to her unnamed lover if he allows her to walk out the door. The next song is the transition into “home with you”; a song about the lack of communication on loneliness. The track starts out with the classic vocal distortion fans are used to hearing from twigs; as she talks about not letting a loved one down. As the song goes on, twigs fluctuates between the voice distortion, and angelic vocals as she sings: “I didn’t know that you were lonely, if you’d have just told me, I’d be home with you.” The track ends with the contrasting lyric: “…And I’d have told you that I was lonely, too”. This song, along with many others on the album, seem to tell of twigs’ frustrations with love and what should be simple expectations with relationships. These are frustrations that many face these days with finding a partner, and ultimately what makes this album so heartbreaking, and relatable for listeners. Tracks like “mirrored heart” and “fallen alien” speak heavily on people not knowing what they truly want with love. Verily, in “mirrored heart”, twigs writes honestly about the games played in courtship, such as: “It’s all for the gain”/ “It’s all for the lovers trying to chase the rush again”/ “It’s all for the lovers trying to fuck away the pain”. One of the heaviest lines from this song is: “Did you want me at all? No, not for life”. In the grungy track “fallen alien”, twigs shares similar declarations, as well as very direct lines such as: “Don’t tell me what you want, ’cause I know you’ll lie”, and, “In the shadows hiding from yourself”/ “See you’re grey in all the lies you tell”. The mature energy and understanding of herself and what she has experienced with love, and pain found in her writing, is one of the many reasons FKA twigs may have given fans one of the most important albums of her career, thus far. MAGDALENE is a diary, a love letter, and an exposé all in one delicate package.

Art: Matthew Stone

From cover to cover, MAGDALENE shaped out to be an incredible ballad about heartbreak, happiness, and above all else; sadness. Sadness and pain that comes from heartbreak is a very human phenomenon, making this album something that anyone who has ever experienced that deep pain should consider listening to. Whether or not you are familiar with FKA twigs and her music, MAGDALENE is an artfully written album from the perspective of very powerful woman who is way more than she seems. The information that this album holds is worth its weight in gold.

Link to album