New artists are made every day. We always hear of the “Next Big Star” making a break into the business. Sometimes they come to us from reality shows like American Idol or The Voice, while others go the hard route. The hard route being through working in the background first, some on stage as dancers, some as backup singers, working their way through the ranks until they are discovered.
Tahliah Barnett, also known as FKA Twigs, took the hard route.
At 16 Barnett started making music in youth clubs. At the age of 17, Twigs moved to London to pursue a career as a dancer. She worked as a backup dancer in music videos by artists such as Kylie Minogue, Ed Sheeran, and Taio Cruz. She was a backup dancer for Jessie J in her 2010 video for “Do It like a Dude”, and appeared again in her 2011 video for “Price Tag”. In 2011, she appeared in a two-minute BBC comedy sketch titled Beyoncé Wants Groceries, in which she was a backup dancer in a supermarket. In August 2012, Twigs was photographed for the cover of i-D magazine. Wikipedia
In December 2012, she released her first album, EP1. In August of 2013, she used YouTube to release her first video for her single “Water Me”. September of the same year, she released her second album through record producer Young Turks, EP2. In August 2014, Young Turks helped her release her debut album, LP1.
Since that release, she has seemed to blow up, first in Europe then making her way over to the US and the rest of the World. She had a successful world tour, selling out most venues.
With the release of her debut album, FKA Twigs has been nominated for the Mercury Prize for Best British Album of 2014 and a Grammy Nomination for Best Recording Package for LP1.
Needless to say, with all of these accolades and getting praise from many magazines, I think it’s safe to say that she is on her way. Her music may not be for everyone, however if you give it a chance you may just like it. I know that it took me a few times listening to some of her songs to get into it.
*Disclaimer: May include explicit lyrics, so if you don’t like that, don’t click on the video :)*
