FKA twigs

Palace Theatre // St. Paul, MN // 11.14.19

photos + review by Morgan Winston

One word that could describe FKA twigs’ appearance at Palace Theatre last week: magic. Magic in the way that she performed, magic in her vocals, magic in her backup dancers. No other performance of 2019 can stand in comparison. FKA twigs, stage name of Tahliah Debrett Barnett, has commanded attention since her debut studio album LP1 was released back in 2014. The newest addition to her discography Magdalene is a stunning follow-up. 

Taking the stage in complete darkness, FKA twigs began her set with a tap dancing routine. Her shoes pounded into the stage, filling the silent venue with dramatic clicks and stomps. Four backup dancers joined her after a few more songs and added a visual dynamism to the performance. “thousand eyes” transitioned in “mary magdalene,” with twigs taking the stage dressed in a gorgeous gown and blue headdress, designed by Edward Marler. Marler’s costumes were on full display throughout FKA twigs’ set with twigs changing costumes every few songs.

This show was a true performance. Mixing elements of theatrical performance into the set included a fantastic sword dance during “sad day.” twigs gracefully moved across the stage, punctuating the beats of the song with flourishes and dramatic posing. Another highlight saw FKA twigs complete a full pole-dancing routine, ending with an upside down splits. The crowd was completely in awe.