FKA Twigs has shared the official video for her latest single ‘Childlike Things’, featuring North West. You can watch it below.
The song appears on Twigs’ third and most recent studio album, ‘Eusexua’, which was released back in January.
Today (March 27), the singer-songwriter – real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett – unveiled the dramatic visuals for the track, directed by Jordan Hemingway (Wolf Alice, Young Fathers). North West – the 11-year-old daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian – stars in the clip alongside Twigs, Kevin Smith and Jake Shane.
The video begins with US influencer and comedian Shane telling director/actor Smith that Twigs “wrote [‘Childlike Things’] when she was still a teenager”, adding: “So it’s like we thought she was one thing, but this album is completely different.”
Shane, who plays a member of Twigs’ team alongside Smith, continues: “It feels like a rave in Shoreditch.” Smith then asks if Twigs is a contortionist, while mispronouncing her name.
The latter alludes to the singer’s past relationships with Matty Healy of The 1975, and actors Robert Pattinson and Shia LaBeouf when he is told she is “beneath viral”. Smith asks: “Was she beneath viral when she was beneath the rock star, or the vampire – remember this one? Or the child star – eurgh!
“I mean, come on! There’s not like a low-rent white guy she hasn’t dated.” Suddenly, Twigs interrupts and is introduced to Smith – who portrays “the executive”. He asks her age, and requests to hear ‘Childlike Things’.
Twigs obliges: “Yes, and I think you’re really gonna love what we’ve been doing. And after you’ve seen it, I hope you’ll understand why we’ve been requesting more budget for music videos.” But Smith’s character isn’t sold, saying: “This ain’t the ’90s anymore – this ain’t even the ’00s, you know?”
Twigs walks away before beginning a choreographed routine for her fictional team. When Smith gets up to leave, the artist begins an impassioned speech about how “figures and numbers don’t mean anything” in art.
He goes on to suggest that Twigs “hook[s] up with a rapper” and increases her “BPMs”. She then welcomes North West, who delivers her verse.
Watch it all unfold, and see Smith’s reaction in the video above.
Twigs recently opened up about why she asked North West to feature on ‘Childlike Things’, saying that her “energy is so inspiring”.
“Really, it needs that childlike energy,” she said. “It needs someone who has that tenacity, who has that strong point of view that you have when you’re 11.”
She went on to praise the confidence she had seen in West’s interviews, adding: “I was like, OK, it has to be North, she has to put her point of view on the song. So she came and she wrote about her faith, which I think is really powerful.”
Meanwhile, West has given her first interview about her forthcoming debut album ‘Elementary School Dropout’.
In a glowing five-star review of ‘Eusexua’, NME wrote: “Twigs has successfully shown that the connection of music, movement, mind, soul and body can be converted into sound, weaving these elements into a cohesive and transcendent artistic experience.
“She brings her own assured sense of creativity and spirituality and combines it with her ability to materialise the intangible. As the album’s closing track says, ‘You’ve one life to live, do it freely‘. What better note to leave it on?”
This month saw Twigs conclude a UK and European tour, ahead of further dates in North America (find any remaining tickets here). She’ll also perform at Coachella 2025 next month, as well as numerous European festivals including Roskilde and Primavera Sound.
In a four-star review of Twigs’ London show last week, NME described ‘Childlike Things’ as “a true crowd pleaser”. It hailed the overall set as “an all-encompassing, two-hour showcase of her singular artistry that’s reigned supreme for more than a decade”.