An exclusive peek at the pages produced by the avant-pop visionary
“Do you believe in more?” FKA twigs asks boldly in her zine. Speaking to the generation “cast in indigo”, the musician, dancer and newly named creative director for NikeWomen’s Spring Zonal Strength Tights campaign describes the troublesome times where “voices try to convince them that their differences stand in the way of their dreams”.
“It’s time we help each other uncover the potential we all have within – to put who we are into motion,” she writes. In the pages of the zine, shown exclusively here on Dazed, the auteur illustrates the uncompromising need to chase one’s truth. Pushing yourself far beyond what you believe you’re capable in – whether your path is in art, sport, or elsewhere – sees people evolve.
Through colourful collage, photography and personal notes, twigs and her collaborators explore what it means to be creative, refusing to be ordinary, recognising one’s gender or sexual fluidity and successful self-expression.
Designed by twigs and Suzannah Pettigrew, the zine features contributions from the likes of English Gardner, Chester Martinez, Saskia Horton, Paleta CalmQuality, Jay Kirton, Rithiely Pereira, Lilly Leithner, Latonya Swann, Kaili Bright, Madelyne Spang, Mishay Patronelli, Cyan Assiter-Clark, Oneohtrix Point Never, Motion Graphic and David Uzochukwu.
Last year, twigs teased a collaboration with Oneohtrix Point Never and Motion Graphic. Their partnership has culminated in the as of yet unreleased track featured in the Nike do you believe in more? visual, titled “Trust in Me”.
The artist revealed her campaign with Nike this week with the self-directed video. Speaking of the project, she said: “I saw it as an opportunity to inspire people who want to use their bodies in a positive way. I cast a group of amazing people who take their physicality seriously and have their own sense of style, in order to push people to be healthy and understand that, through any genre of sport, they can be the best versions of themselves.”
It's been two years since the release of the avant-pop visionary's M3LL155X EP, though twigs creative output has been steady. Last year she released her experimental, 'abstract auto-biographical' film Soundtrack 7 featuring some of her live performances. She also held a dance workshop in Baltimore, and released a documentary charting the experience.
Discussing the intersection between artistic and physical expression, she added: “I truly believe that success is when preparation meets opportunity. It’s the same with any creative or athletic endeavour. It's not about the moment you jump off the diving board. It’s not about any one beat you’ve produced. It's about the moments before that – preparation is the training, and opportunity is the moment you reach your fastest time or show how good your beat is.”
The do you believe in more? project, according to twigs, illustrates the life of a girl “who grew up looking different from everybody else around me, who wanted to do things no one else wanted to do in a small town, who didn't grow up with lots of money, but just had so much determination and hope inside herself”. Twigs continued: “I wanted to do more with my life. I wanted to do everything.”
Pontificating over the title, she asks: “Do you believe that you can reach your best physical shape? Do you believe that you can use your confidence to get that promotion at work or finish that creative project? It applies to whatever it is that you want to be or do.”
Peek the gallery above for an exclusive look at the do you believe in more project, and watch the visual for Nike below.
