FKA twigs Defies Critics, Finds “Beauty in the Miserable”

FKA twigs is one of music’s “vanguards” who fearlessly amplifies her ever-changing identity while defying critics and consumers alike. She’s a jack of all trades: dancer, vocalist, director, wushu artist, and 2025 Grammy winner for her album Eusexua. She’s been in the music industry for twenty years, and despite her increasing recognition, she keeps her authenticity ablaze in midst of those who are blinded by the façade of stardom. MAGDALENE, her sophomore album released in 2019, serves as a testament to her personal ethic amidst a difficult period in which she faced pervasive scrutiny, health problems, and a breakup that led to controversy in her name.

MAGDALENE is a visceral odyssey blending FKA twigs’ signature electronic sound with her raw, emotional lyrics. The major aspect that I believe makes Twigs such a standout icon in music is her courage to weaponize her vulnerability. “Thousand Eyes,” the first track, immediately entrances you with her siren-like voice; a godly narrator invites you to her silent, chaotic realm where she feels like a thousand eyes are constantly watching her as if to judge her for any bit of imperfection.

Whether it be her breakup with Robert Pattinson from 2017, a split which sparked backlash against Twigs, or the haunting futility she feels in the song “Daybed,” MAGDALENE is the psyche of a woman who is just about to fall off the precipice. And you feel the anguish just as emphatically. Yet, as much as this album is depressing, Twigs illustrates these hardships to empower herself and her femininity, shaping MAGDALENE into a gorgeous beauty instead of a sob story.

St. Mary Magdalene is a biblical figure who has historically been shunned and often deemed a femme fatale. She was a crucial part of the Bible, yet early churches undermined and tarnished her importance in the text, paralleling Twigs’ feelings of being misunderstood and humiliated by the media. Mary Magdalene’s story was a way for Twigs to rediscover and empower herself as an artist and woman.

FKA twigs’ story for MAGDALENE is beyond the bounds of mere music. Her bold fashion and lucid music videos amplify her pursuit of glorifying Mary Magdalene. MAGDALENE is an experience tethered to flaws—a forty-minute euphoric paradox of feeling miserable and resilient at the same time.