FKA Twigs and Hiro Murai crew up in a martial arts epic for the Unhappy Day video
FKA twigs is known for their creative and experimental approach to their self-directed music videos, but they have also caught the attention of a number of high-profile staff over the years, from Andrew Thomas Huang to the most recent video, Cellophane, to Spike Jonze for Apple 2018 Homepod Display.
The musician's most recent collaboration is with director Hiro Murai, best known for his work with Donald Glover on the television series Atlanta and Childish Gambino's This is America music video.
The couple created the video for Sad Day, taken from Magdalene von Twigs' second album, after training for three years in a Chinese martial art called Wushu under the guidance of Master Wu, the most senior wushu master in the West.
The video was shot before the lockdown in London and stars alongside actor Teake. The musician transforms into the hero she always wanted to see in mainstream cinema when she was growing up – and used her skills with a sword to use them in the process.
It is not the first time that branches have introduced experimental forms of movement into their practice. The video for cellophane took a year of grueling pole performance training to realize after she decided she had to play pole dance to bring her visual narrative idea to life.
“I just think that if I want to name something, then I want to be proud of everything, and if I want to be proud of everything, I have to be part of all of it. I like the whole vision, ”she told CR in a recent interview.
Read the full interview with FKA branches from the CR edition on the 40th anniversary here. fkatwi.gs hiromurai.com