FKA twigs Slams “Disgusting” Racial Abuse From ‘Twilight’ Fans

http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/tahliah-barnett-aka-fka-twigs-performs-onstage-during-2014-news-photo/452415294

British singer and producer FKA twigs, real name Tahliah Barnett, has said she’s she’s “shocked and disgusted” by racially abusive comments she’s been receiving online, which are largely coming from fans of ex-‘Twilight’ couple Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (aka “Robsten”). Barnett is now dating Pattinson.

“I am genuinely shocked and disgusted at the amount of racism that has been infecting my account the past week,” Barnett posted on her Twitter account yesterday, before going on to draw attention to the reality of online racism.

“Racism is unacceptable in the real world and it’s unacceptable online,” she told fans, who were quick to show support for her message of equality. “Thank you so much for all of your love!” Barnett tweeted this morning Australian time. “Been working really hard this week and can’t wait to share everything that I have made with you.”

As Dazed point out, many of the people racially abusing Barnett appear to be fans of Pattinson’s ex-girlfriend Kristen Stewart, whom he stared alongside in the ‘Twilight’ films. The racist comments, some of which are below, centre around Stewart fans’ desires for “Robsten” to be together again.

One picture of Stewart tweeted by a Kristen Stewart fan page was given the caption, “Kristen our queen, FKA twigs you’re a monkey abortion.” Another, from a personal Twitter account, read, “Is it really impossible to believe that Rob out [sic] with this monkey FKA twigs,” whilst another directed at Barnett said, “You’re talentless & ugly that’s why people call you that, you’re the one who’s racist for blaming your skin.”

Barnett’s record label, Young Turks, have offered their support via Twitter, calling out the racial abuse as “despicable and depressingly archaic”. View their tweets, below.

In an interview with Dazed earlier this year, Barnett detailed the racism she experienced being the only mixed-race girl at her Catholic school. “People said horrible things about something I had no control of, which was tough,” she said.

“But that’s okay. Life isn’t supposed to be easy, is it? I never really saw anything wrong with how I looked, it was more that certain people pointed things out to you about yourself. Either your hair’s different, or the colour of your skin, or your features.”

Last month, Barnett voiced her detest of the “alt-R&B” label being attached to her music. “It’s just because I’m mixed race,” the singer told The Guardian. “If I was white and blonde and said I went to church all the time, you’d be talking about the choral aspect. But you’re not… because I’m a mixed-race girl from south London.”

FKA twigs released her debut studio album, LP1, in August. The release has earned her a 2014 Mercury Prize nomination.

Must Read