The Adam Friedland Show – FKA Twigs Talks Stans, Eusexua, Seduction

Episode Date: February 4, 2026
Guest: FKA Twigs
Main Theme: Artistic evolution, identity, fandom, and the interplay of sensuality, class, and personal agency in FKA Twigs' artistic life

Episode Overview

In this detailed and candid conversation, Adam Friedland and his co-host sit down with FKA Twigs, the Grammy-winning experimental pop star, to explore the complexity and evolution of her life and career. Their discussion engages topics like growing up between worlds, finding power through performance, the changing music industry, challenges of relatable fame, and maintaining mystery in the era of stan culture and social media. The tone alternates between playful, irreverent banter and moments of deep reflection, giving listeners a multidimensional portrait of an influential artist navigating art, identity, and modern fame.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. FKA Twigs' Upbringing and Class Identity

• Mixed Class Background:

  • Twigs describes growing up working-class in the outskirts of Birmingham, raised by a Jamaican father, a Barbadian stepfather, and a mother from the “Black Country” (09:11–10:20).
  • She attended a private Catholic school on scholarship, coached intensely by her mother after her local school refused to put her forward for the grammar school entrance test (10:31–11:32).

• Navigating Class and Race:

  • “My mom was very free-spirited, very beautiful, very daring…there are a lot of things that made me stand out. Being biracial as well—there just weren’t a lot of people of color where I was from.” (13:08–13:55)

2. Becoming an Artist – Early Work Ethic and Drive

• Multiple Jobs in Early London:
  • Upon moving to London at 17, Twigs juggled four jobs (dancer, youth worker, Selfridges, and bar work) (25:49–27:03).
  • She credits a supportive stepfather who enabled her to quit two jobs for six months to focus on music, leading to her first record deal (26:48–27:03).
  • Work ethic instilled from childhood (“You have to work 10 times harder,” a lesson from her stepdad about race and ballet) (58:09–58:54).

3. Artistic Process and Vision

• Interdisciplinary Approach:

  • Music creation is visual and multi-sensory, often developing only when she “gets a vision” that accompanies the sound (27:30–27:57).
  • “It’s like 360...music is the core of everything I do, but I just don’t feel [the industry] is able to facilitate everything I want to do.” (28:02–28:54)

• On Collaboration:

  • Favors letting collaborators express themselves so she can later edit—valuing fun and creative freedom in the studio (47:06–47:19).

4. Stan Culture, Fandom, and Social Media Pressures

• Changing Landscape of Fame:

  • Twigs notes how the Internet, especially stan culture, has changed what it means to be a musician—from distant allure to constant self-promotion (29:54–30:10).
  • “We’re just expected to market ourselves so much…nobody knows my true personality because I feel like my personality is constantly at gunpoint with social media.” (30:33–31:29)

• Maintaining Mystery:

  • “For me personally, I’ve been on a five-year journey...I’ve seen other artists absolutely crushing it [online]. With me, I just can’t seem to find that because I don’t want to put the things I’m practicing at online. It’s for me.” (32:43–33:14)
  • Pushback on quantification: “You can’t quantify the amount of people inspired by your work...to quantify success by listeners or likes is just not valid.” (34:43–35:09)

• Interaction with Fans:

  • Twigs is grateful for genuine artistic impact—her fans’ (“Twiglets”) energy directly inspired much of her music, especially the transitions from "Usexua" to "Afterglow" (36:21–37:00, 43:47–45:21).

5. Identity, Sensuality, and Artistic Themes

• Sensuality vs. Sexuality:

  • Pole dancing and sensual performance became acts of reclaiming self-agency after medical and professional setbacks.
  • “Pole dancing, for me, is like reclaiming experiences that I went through as a young woman and empowering myself to be in charge of my sensuality on stage. And I say sensuality instead of sexuality...” (53:02–54:01)

• Dual Identity in Art:

  • FKA Twigs reflects on balancing high-brow operatic/artistic inclinations and deep-rooted cultural/community ties: "I can swing from doing a performance with Valentino...to then really being so into my roots and supporting my own community, feeling really grounded...” (13:55–14:29)

6. Navigating Representation & Longevity

• On Longevity vs. Viral Success:

  • She favors a long career over fleeting fame, citing role models like Martha Graham and Laurie Anderson (37:25–37:55).
  • “People like Martha Graham or Pina Bausch or Laurie Anderson, PJ Harvey...people that have been able to sustain a creative life. I’m looking forward to getting old.” (37:25–37:43)

• Navigating Being Ahead of the Curve:

  • Comfortable starting conversations before the culture “gets it”—as with operatic innovations on “Magdalene” (55:37–56:48).
  • “Sometimes I make the suggestion very early and it allows culture to make something so beautiful from that starting point...” (56:21–56:48)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Early Career and Drive:

  • “I literally remember having this rucksack and it had almost different costumes for my different jobs. Any shift that came up, I would run around...” (25:49)

• On Navigating Relatability and Self-Promotion:

  • “Nobody knows my true personality because I feel like my personality is constantly at gunpoint with social media.” – FKA Twigs (30:33)
  • “I just can’t seem to find [online relatability]... I want to deliver something when it’s a fully rounded thought. It’s a nightmare to be making work I really care about, and then there’s this whole other side, which is like McDonald’s. It destroys all the mystery.” – Twigs (32:43)

• On True Impact:

  • “You can’t quantify culture...to be able to say, oh, this is what success looks like because it’s Spotify listeners or awards or likes...that’s just not valid.” – FKA Twigs (34:43)

• On Fan Inspiration:

  • “Usexua for me was such a well-rounded piece of work...in Afterglow I wanted to deconstruct everything I’d learned...that wouldn’t have happened if the fans hadn’t given me permission.” – FKA Twigs (44:30)

• On Sensuality and Agency:

  • “Pole dancing, for me, is like reclaiming experiences...empowering myself to be in charge of my sensuality on stage. And I say sensuality instead of sexuality.” – FKA Twigs (53:02)

• On Being Ahead of the Curve:

  • “I’m not trying to do anything. I’m okay with making work and it seeding into culture and it taking its sweet time.” – FKA Twigs (56:50)

• Work Ethic and Challenges of Representation:

  • “Black or brown artists have to work ten times harder because we can’t get away with being average...we have to sing really well, look incredible, dance really well, be polite...because we’re not given the grace that other people are.” – FKA Twigs (58:54)

Memorable Lighter Moments

• On Fashion and the “Blues” Outfits:

  • Twigs jokes about dressing in all blue—“the same blue”—when she doesn't want to think about outfits. (06:44–07:05)

• Playful Banter:

  • Adam repeatedly jokes about “have you ever seen a movie?”, pressing Twigs about obscure cultural references and celebrity contacts (prevalent throughout, ex. 17:03, 47:41).

• Dog Interludes:

  • The recurring presence of “Icy,” a rescue dog, lightens the mood and becomes a running distraction. (07:22, 60:16, 64:01)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Twigs' Upbringing, Scholarship to Private School: 09:11–11:32
• Navigating Multicultural Identity & Fitting In: 13:08–14:29, 19:16–21:31
• Move to London, Early Career Grind: 25:49–27:03
• Artistic Process, Collaborations: 27:30–28:54, 47:06–47:19
• Changing Music Industry, Stan Culture: 29:03–33:55
• Fandom’s Influence on Art: 36:21–37:00, 43:47–45:21
• Sensuality, Agency, Pole Dancing: 53:02–54:48
• Longevity vs. Viral Relatability: 37:25–37:55, 56:21–56:48
• Representation & Work Ethic: 58:09–58:54

Conclusion

FKA Twigs offers an unvarnished look into the pressures and paradoxes of modern artistry, sharing her personal struggles with identity, industry change, and audience connection. Through candor and humor, she illuminates the realities behind her visionary work and perseverance—a testament to self-actualization amid shifting cultural and digital ground.

For Listeners Seeking Key Takeaways

• FKA Twigs is resolutely independent, prioritizing creative freedom over fleeting online virality.
• Her dual identity—between avant-garde art and grounded lived experience—fuels both her challenges and staying power.
• “Relatability” is a burden she rejects; mystery, incremental progress, and meaningful connection define her artistry.
• Despite digital pressures, she’s sustained by genuine fan feedback and her own evolving, rigorous practice.

“You can’t quantify culture...The data around art is not the point. What matters is what lasts and who’s changed by it.” – FKA Twigs (34:43–35:09)