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FKA twigs
FKA twigs in Paper magPhotographed by Paola Kudacki / Styling by Karen Clarkson

FKA twigs redefines the meaning of punk

‘It’s not screaming into a mic or wearing leather straps every day, but doing whatever the fuck I wanna do’

Not so long ago twigs said in an interview that it might be her last. "I can't do it," she told a Sunday Times writer. "It makes me feel nutty."

And yet now she appears looking strong, muscular and confident on the cover of Paper magazine, with an interview exploring everything from learning vogue to her dreams and aspirations of motherhood.

She might have redefined her own ethereal electronic sound and packaged it in the most beautiful, grandiose visual way possible, miles from punk rock aurally - but in many ways she embodies its spirit. And she thinks so too.

“Me and my mates, we do whatever we wanna do,” she says. “And actually, I think there’s something quite punk about that. Not screaming into a mic or wearing leather straps every day, but doing whatever the fuck I wanna do. So to me, that's punk. That’s not a wet blanket.”

She also discusses her powerful sexuality – or as she calls it, throbbing energy. “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.”

Interestingly, the interviewer notes that twigs cultivates a different type of relationship with her fans than Taylor Swift. While Swift fans desire friendship and entry into her squad, twigs fans are more arty and diverse: “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.”

Whatever changed twigs’ mind about interviews is a mystery, but we’re hyped she did.