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And Finally Artist News
FKA Twigs thanks Lil Nas X for acknowledging video inspiration
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 31 March 2021
FKA Twigs has thanked Lil Nas X for admitting that he ripped her off. Though that’s not strictly how she put it. She thanked him for “acknowledging the inspiration” that her ‘Cellophane’ video had on the video he has made to accompany his new single ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’.
Lil Nas X himself has said that he had not been aware of the similarities between the two videos before they were pointed out to him by Twigs. But he concedes that other members of the team who worked on the ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ video were inspired by ‘Cellophane’.
“Thank you Lil Nas X for our gentle, honest conversations and for acknowledging the inspiration ‘Cellophane’ gave you and your creative team in creating your iconic video”, she wrote in an Instagram post. “I think what you have done is amazing and I fully support your expression and bravery in pushing culture forward for the queer community. Legend status”.
The similarities between parts of the two videos were noted by ‘Cellophane’ director Andrew Thomas Huang last week. Posting on TikTok, Huang directly compared the two videos, showing both artists pole dancing into hell. Adding a message to the rapper directly, he then wrote: “Take me off your mood board or hire me”.
Expanding on his theme, in an Instagram story post the director explained that Lil Nas X’s record label Columbia had actually contacted him about working on a video but had “pivoted away”, before hiring the same pole dancing choreographer who worked on ‘Cellophane’, Kelly Yvonne. The final video was co-directed by Lil Nas X himself with Tanu Muino.
“Consider the power you wield and the artists you harm when you capitalise on our blood, sweat, tears and emotional labour”, Huang added.
In his own Instagram post this morning, Lil Nas X wrote: “I want to show love to FKA Twigs and Andrew Thomas Huang! The ‘Cellophane’ visual is a masterpiece. I was not aware that the visual would serve as inspiration for those who worked on the effects of my video. I want to say thank you to Twigs for calling me and informing me about the similarities between the two videos, as I was not aware they were so close. Was only excited for the video to come out. I understand how hard you worked to bring this visual to life. You deserve so much more love and praise”.
Twigs also mentioned Huang and Yvonne in her Instagram post, saying: “I want to thank Andrew Thomas Huang and Kelly Yvonne for helping me create ‘Cellophane’, but also and most importantly I would like to thank sex workers and strippers for providing the physical language to make both videos possible. I have been working with [sex worker support organisation] Swarm Hive to help support this community and I know all donations to the swarm hardship fund will be welcome during this difficult time”.
Meanwhile, having more or less settled one piece of controversy that has blown up in the last week in relation to his new track, Lil Nas X continues to fan the flames of another.
Nike is currently attempting, through the courts, to halt the fulfilment of orders for his Satan Shoes – 666 pairs of modified Nike trainers not approved by the company – and to then have them all destroyed. The rapper continues to post jokes about the legal action on Twitter, and is apparently still gearing up to give away the last unsold pair tomorrow.
