FKA twigs’ last musical outing was a brief musical interlude, ‘Judge Me’, on GANG – the collaborative EP by rapper Headie One and music producer Fred Again…
The trio return here, with FKA Twigs taking centre stage. That brief interlude is now worked up into the full track that is ‘Don’t Judge Me’. A powerfully choreographed video accompanies the release, focusing on the struggle against an invisible oppressor. It includes a cast of Black activists and cultural luminaries.
The heartbeat of ‘Don’t Judge Me’ is Fred Again..’s thumping baseline – a constant throughout. The one pause in the rhythm spotlights Headie One’s goose-bump-inducing rap. FKA twigs brings her trademark falsetto as she asks over and over: “Don’t judge me”. We hear a real richness to twigs’ vocals as she begins in a lower key, which adds emphasis to the fragility in her voice as the song builds to a crescendo.
The power in ‘Don’t Judge Me’ is in the way the production blends the political messaging in Headie One’s verse with FKA twig’s ethereal vocals. Headie One’s moving verse centres on British racism: “We can walk free, but are we really walkin’ free here? / How can this be home when I feel I wanna flee here? / I can’t trust the police force and I can’t trust the media’. It explores the importance of George Floyd’s murder: “Officer, am I allowed to breathe here?”
Yet, this isn’t a track that feels preachy. Nor does the messaging feel cliched. The synergy between the producer, singer and rapper is such that the listener feels the connection and the pain in the words.
We can walk free, but are we really walkin’ free here?”
“Don’t Judge Me” strikes a powerful chord. Viewed through the lens of Emmanuel Adjei’s video it is an intoxicating, emotional experience. Beautiful choreography focuses on FKA twigs trying to break free from her invisible oppressor. Symbolism for the cultural and systemic biases that often go unseen.
The video intersperses cinematic shots of Kara Walker’s 2020 Tate Modern installation Fons Americanus. The thirteen-metre tall sculpture is an imposing statement in the history of the transatlantic slave trade and forms a perfect metaphoric backdrop for the lyrics. To add to the messaging, the video features a cast-list of modern black leaders and role models. Appearances include poet and activist Solomon O.B., writer Reni Eddo-Lodge, models and activists Munroe Bergdorf and Kukua Williams – along with many others. In the video, FKA twigs is styled in garments by Black fashion designers.
Check-out: Five Black Fashion Designers To Follow In 2021
Additional poignancy, in watching the artist pushed and dragged by a hidden force, comes from the recent revelations that FKA twigs suffered alleged abuse in her relationship with Shia LaBeouf. The most heart-wrenching moments in the video come within the last few shots. As we see twigs carried by an unseen force and we witness a solitary Black figure struggling to fend off an invisible attacker. The victim ends up with his arm pinned behind his back against a wall. As the screen fades to black, we see the words “Don’t Judge Me.” My mind is drawn back to Headie One’s earlier words, “I didn’t choose to be me, so why discriminate me?”
The real power of ‘Don’t Judge Me’ is in synergy, between the musical collaborators and synergy between the music and the visuals.
Words by Andrew Butcher
Check out Andrew’s blog here.
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