FKA twigs Reflects on Life’s Joy and Pain as She Enters Her Late 30s

FKA twigs is speaking candidly about how she has learned to hold both joy and hardship at the same time as she grows older.

The British singer-songwriter, 37, is featured on the February cover of ELLE UK, where she opened up about gaining perspective in her late 30s. Looking back on her life, twigs said she now sees it as a mix of beauty and pain — and feels stronger for accepting both.

“I can really look back at my life and see so many things that have been beautiful and amazing, and other things that have been really brutal and violent,” she said. “I’m realizing that I can hold things at the same time, and that feels really good.”

She compared life to a raspberry, explaining that it can be bitter and sweet all at once.

Twigs, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, has previously spoken publicly about alleged abuse during her past relationship with actor Shia LaBeouf. She filed a lawsuit against him in December 2020, accusing him of sexual and physical abuse and knowingly transmitting a sexually transmitted disease. LaBeouf denied the allegations but acknowledged having harmed people close to him.

The lawsuit was dismissed in July, with both parties reaching a private settlement before a trial scheduled for September. In a joint statement, they said they agreed to resolve the case out of court and wished each other peace and success moving forward.

Since then, twigs has said she is focused on healing and moving ahead. In an October interview, she shared that she has become involved with organizations that raise awareness about domestic abuse and sexual violence.

On a personal note, the artist has been dating filmmaker Jordan Hemingway since 2023. She told ELLE UK that collaborating with him has been deeply fulfilling. Hemingway directed the music videos for her recent projects Eusexua and Eusexua Afterglow, both released in 2025.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” she said of working together. “It’s constantly stimulating in the best way, and it’s really low drama.”

Despite her global success, twigs said she does not see herself as a traditional celebrity. Instead, she wants the focus to remain on her art rather than her personal identity.

“The most interesting part of me is what I do,” she explained. “I’m not a pop star, and I don’t want to be regarded in that way.”

As she continues to evolve creatively and personally, twigs says embracing both the light and dark parts of life has helped her find balance — and peace.