In September 2017, FKA Twigs released her self-titled debut album. One of its tracks, ‘Pattinson’, is named after, you guessed it, Robert Pattinson. That’s not all there is to the track, of course. It’s an ode to both Pattinson and her fans who have supported her throughout her career. Here, we identify some of the other songs on the album that relate to the ‘Bella’ star.
‘Ode To Vogue’
A track called ‘Ode To Vogue’ is, as the title suggests, an ode to Vogue magazine. FKA Twigs, of course, is a self-proclaimed fashion icon and this track is, in part, a reflection of her admiration for the glossy magazine. The song includes a sample from the Beatles’ ‘Come Together’.
The opening bars of the song feature a sample from the ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ soundtrack. In one of the most famous scenes from the movie, the Beatles are seen performing the track live at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. The song also features a guest appearance by Canadian rap artist Drake. He raps over the top of the track for about three minutes. It’s a treat for Beatles fans and those who enjoy strong rap music. (It should be noted that though FKA Twigs is often compared to Grimes due to their similar aesthetic and music, she is, in fact, more of a traditional singer-songwriter. There are also similarities between ‘Pattinson’ and ‘Ode To Vogue’ in terms of lyrical content, with both tracks exploring sexuality and fashion.)
‘Hotel California’
‘Hotel California’ is another track that draws comparisons to The Eagles’ classic ‘Hotel California’. Like that song, this one is about a journey that begins in a brightly-lit city but then leads to a lonely night at a hotel. (The title ‘Hotel California’ comes from the slasher film ‘Hollyweird’, which was released a few months before ‘The Eagles’ album.)
The music video for ‘Hotel California’ was shot in black and white and prominently features images of the LA skyline. It also features cameos from some of the artists and performers that have featured on the album, such as Stormzy, Sia, Justin Bieber, and, once again, Drake. There is even a reference to one of Bieber’s notorious escapades in the song (“Where are you going, TikTok?”).
The lonely night depicted in ‘Hotel California’ is brought to life by FKA Twigs through a montage of hotel room shots. In the video, she is seen lying on a big feather bed with a beautiful sun shawl draped over her. She stares blankly at the camera while sipping a martini.
‘Jungle’
‘Jungle’ is track seven on the album and it’s a collaboration with UK producer Labrinth. The song is an ode to the beauty of nature and its ability to entice us away from the city lights and into the jungle. It also features lush, organic instrumentation and samples from the band Arcade Fire. (The name ‘Jungle’ comes from the French playwright Georges Besly, who used the term to refer to the Parisian suburbs in the 1800s. It’s possible that FKA Twigs and Labrinth were both influenced by his writings when they wrote this track.)
The video for ‘Jungle’ was directed by Benny Boom and, as with the album artwork, it features a combination of live footage and CGI. (Boom is perhaps best known for his work with M.I.A and Jada Pinkett-Smith.) The imagery inside the video draws attention to the suburban landscape that is evoked in the song. We see a man and woman in a lush green garden. She is seated at a table, painting while he stands nearby fishing. CGI tigers and other jungle animals roam freely on the lawn, attacking intruders, such as the couple in the video. (The song is also featured in the film ‘Lost In Translation’.)
‘Sober’
‘Sober’ is track five on the album and it was one of the first songs written for it. FKA Twigs has cited the Black Eyed Peas’ 2005 song ‘Jolee’ as an influence on ‘Sober’. ‘Sober’ is an ode to marijuana and all that it brings. According to Twigs, she wrote the song after finishing college and realizing that she “didn’t want to live [her] life in [her] parents’ basement”. She explained that she wanted to create a song that was honest about her feelings and that she was not ashamed to say that she enjoyed smoking weed.
The song includes a sample from the Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Jolee’, as well as dialogue from the documentary ‘The People Vs. Weed’, which explores the cultural relationship between weed and rap music. A reference to the 1999 film ‘Boogie Nights’ is also made in the song. The album artwork for ‘Sober’ is a photo montage of the rapper smoking a joint. The cover art is in black and white and in one corner, we see a man in a business suit holding a sign that reads ‘Keep It Real’. This is a reference to Rick Astley’s ‘Keep Singing’ and to all the people that the artist believes are trying to “hold [him] back” from being himself.
‘Take Me To Church’
‘Take Me To Church’ is the first track on the album and it was written by Justin Timberlake and Shaffer Smith. When it was released as a single, it became Timberlake’s first chart-topper in five years. (It also became the theme song for the film ‘Bright’.) The song is an ode to the ‘90s and the simplicity of that bygone era. In it, Timberlake paints an image of a late-night stroll through the city. He stops to speak with friends along the way. It’s a charming slice of Americana and a fitting tribute to a decade that changed music forever.
The song has also inspired a line of clothing that is available to buy from Timberlake’s website. He partnered with North American fashion house Kaikai to produce the line. It debuted in September 2017 and it’s a mixture of sportswear and tie-waist dresses. The tagline for the collection is “Goodbye 2018. Hello 2019”. We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to see what 2019 holds for Timberlake and ‘Take Me To Church’.
While we were trying to identify which songs on the FKA Twigs album were about Rob Pattinson, it came up with a number of different answers. But we finally settled on these as the most representative. Now that you know the inspiration behind these songs, you can indulge in some guilty pleasure by listening to them, knowing that they will make you feel a little better about not having a relationship with the ‘Bella’ star. Who knows? Maybe one day, he’ll hear one of these songs and feel inspired to give it another go. Until then, we wish them both the best.