FKA twigs Talks About North West’s Growth and Maturity in Their Friendship

FKA twigs; North West.
Credit: TheStewartofNY/GC Images; Michael Kovac/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• In a cover story for Rolling Stone UK, FKA twigs discussed collaborating with North West on her new album Eusexua.
• North, at 12 years old, performed a rap in Japanese on the track “Childlike Things,” which twigs originally wrote when she was around 12 or 13.
• “I felt taken aback by her observations of humility that were very on the nose and very true to the things that I’ve learned as an adult,” twigs remarked about North.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, FKA twigs revealed her admiration for North West during the promotion of her upcoming album, Eusexua, set to release in January 2025. The project features contributions from electronic musician Koreless and showcases North’s unique talent as she raps in Japanese on “Childlike Things.”

Twigs, whose real name is Tahlia Debrett Barnett, called the experience of working with North—the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West—a significant milestone. “Childlike Things” is one of twigs’ earliest compositions, penned when she was a young teen.

FKA twigs; North West.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Allen Berezovsky/Getty

“I feel like she’s seen so much, and she’s so mature in a lot of ways, especially emotionally,” twigs expressed of North. “We went for a few dinners, and she said things that were big and profound. I felt taken aback by her observations of humility that were very on the nose and very true to the things that I’ve learned as an adult.”

Twigs described the song-writing process for “Childlike Things” as a full-circle moment. Reflecting on her childhood, she shared, “I was bullied at school and didn’t really have that close girlfriendship, so ‘Childlike Things’ was healing—giving the child in me, who was a bit of a loner, a tenacious, confident friend like North to hang out with.”

FKA twigs in 2023.
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North West has also made her mark in the music industry this year, contributing to Christian “King” Combs’ song “Lonely Roads.”

Throughout her career, FKA twigs has released three other albums: LP1, Magdalene, and Eusexua Afterglow, a deluxe edition of Eusexua. Each project carries significant meaning for the artist. 

“When I listen to Eusexua now, every sound is like a crystallised piece of water; every sound is like ice,” she explained. “There’s something so precise about it because it’s the most distilled version of the message. The point that I want to make with Eusexua now is that an idea can exist and be perfect at the time, but it’s OK for things to be mercurial and to develop and change.”