Twenty five minutes of a singular key drone played out before British musician and performer FKA Twigs (aka Tahliah Debrett Barnett) appeared on stage to a sold out crowd at Melbourne’s 170 Russel to repeat the aforementioned lyrics, the opening song on 2014’s critically acclaimed ‘LP1’.

Having her start as a back up dancer for the likes of Tiao Cruz, Kylie Minogue and Jessie J, Ms. Barnett’s presence demands you’re attention: She is seductive, yet vulnerable, the restraint in her body movement is perfect, she is in control amongst her musicians who alternate between percussion, keyboard and synths.

LP1 single ‘Pendulum’ is played early on in the set and the vocals in the verse are almost a breath. The chorus peaks and displays the mellifluous sound Twigs’ voice is able to project, her falsetto undoubtedly one of the finest in pop. ‘Numbers’ has undergone a transformation in both melody and instrumentation, further proof that this is an artist who is constantly searching.

Favourite ‘Video Girl’ builds into into a tense chorus – “Is she the girl from the video?” – which leads parts of the crowd to twist in FKA Twigs signature motions, showing the sheer volume of this artists influence.

She breaks to speak and thank the Melbourne crowd, and up until this point she has not said a word all night. Everyone is ecstatic and then the opening of ‘Two Weeks’ arrives, and somehow the volume of the audience amplifies.

FKA Twigs’ live show is an intimate, majestic and awe-inspiring event to witness. She ends the set with EP2 take ‘How’s That’, and leaves us with no encore.

Words by: Adnan Kadric

FKA twigs – LP1