The video for FKA Twigs’ latest single “Twists & Turns” has been released and it features her singing and dancing with actor/poet/fashion superstar Robert Pattinson. The song is one of the highlights of Twigs’ second album, Cherry. When we think of Twigs, we usually think of her incredible acting abilities. But her music has evolved, too — it’s more mature and emotional than your typical pop song.

The video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis and it shows Twigs performing in a variety of different settings, from a club to a forest to a snowy, remote mountain top. While the video is beautiful, it’s certainly not what you’d expect from a song about falling in love. We’re not mad at you, FKA Twigs, we’re just glad that you’ve evolved as an artist.

The Evolution Of Twigs’ Musical Career

You might know FKA Twigs from her starring role as Jenny Humphrey in the film adaptation of Les Misérables. As the song she’s featured in, “J’aime Ménie,” plays in the background, she dances with her hair and makeup done by the talented Carli Lange. Lange has also worked with Lady Gaga and Rihanna, so if you’ve ever watched one of those megastars’ videos, you know what we’re talking about.

One of the most famous faces associated with punk rock is also, at times, one of the best-known faces in pop culture. You might know the name Ian MacLeman. If you’ve somehow avoided MacLeman’s work altogether, you’d probably know his music as the music of the Ramones. Although most of us think of MacLeman as the lead singer of the Ramones, it’s actually the other way around. In fact, he was the youngest of five siblings, all of whom played instruments.

When MacLeman and the band recorded their 1976 album, Love Hurts, the idea was to give listeners a raw, unvarnished portrayal of youthful energy and heartache. It’s been 31 years since those recording sessions, and though MacLeman’s voice has changed — he’s now more of a middle-aged man — his music has never been more relevant. And just as the songs on that album foreshadowed the punk movement, so too have MacLeman’s lyrics and his music itself continued to influence upcoming artists. Here are some of the best ways that MacLeman’s music has evolved and influenced popular culture over the past three decades.

From Punk To Pop

It’s been 31 years since the first Ramones album, and even though the band broke up in ‘83, their influence on music continues to grow. And just as the Ramones established themselves as pioneers of punk rock, so too have MacLeman’s songs changed the face of popular music. Take a look at how some of MacLeman’s songs have evolved over the past three decades:

  • “Bitch Control”, which was released in 1981, was one of the first songs to truly incorporate the spirit of punk into mainstream music.
  • “Punky Music”, also from 1981, gave birth to the goth movement, as well as the ‘80s and ‘90s sub-genres of indie and alternative music.
  • “Too Much Pressure”, from MacLeman’s 1984 album Ridiculous, stands out as one of the singer’s best-known songs. The lead singer of The Breeders wrote the lyrics to the song, which tell the story of a man trying to cope with the expectations and demands of his parents, his teachers, and the public. It was also the title track of MacLeman’s 2010 album, Too Much Pressure, which was a concept album about mental health. The album explores such themes as anxiety, depression, and addiction — all of which are issues that the singer himself has dealt with.
  • “I Want To Grow Up”, which is one of the standout tracks on MacLeman’s 1986 album, Another Man’s Women, is often cited as the quintessential song of emo music. The track’s lyrics explore the complexities of adolescence and young adulthood: “I want to grow up / I don’t know how / I want to be like you / I can’t help it that I love you.” MacLeman began performing the song live around this time, and although it took a while for the emo movement to take off, the song soon became a staple of the early ‘90s alternative rock scene.
  • “I Saw Her Standing There”, from MacLeman’s 1993 album, Get Crazy, is part of the background music for Pete Burns’ 2001 film, Let Love Spread. The song, which contains a sample of ‘70s band The Sweet, continues to influence popular culture today. In fact, Rolling Stone recently named the song the 79th greatest song of all time.
  • “Cool Yrself”, a song from MacLeman’s 2017 album, Good Things, is one of the best tracks on a pretty good album. The song, about embracing one’s sexuality, was written by MacLeman and singer-songwriter Ben Lee. The track, which has become popular on the British Isles, was originally called “Sexuality” and it was inspired by a conversation MacLeman had with a friend while on the phone. They started talking about sex and how much they enjoyed being themselves around other people, and how they didn’t want to hide who they were anymore. Cool Yrself, the song, is all about being comfortable in your own company and not having to put on a show for the sake of others. It’s a message that continues to resonate with audiences around the world.
  • “Watching You Without Me”, from MacLeman’s 2018 album, Good Things, is an acoustic gem that could very well be his signature tune. Like many of the songs on the album, “Watching You Without Me” explores the themes of self-acceptance and love. This time, though, the song is about seeing someone else without needing them. It’s been a while since MacLeman released anything, but even those who have heard his music in the past might not know what he’s up to these days. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wrote another classic album any time soon.