twst, the project of Welsh songwriter, vocalist and producer Chloé Davis, unveils the “Are You Listening? (hikikomori baby 0001)” video today—watch here. twst’s debut EP, TWST0001, is set for release on June 12.
“With this video, I wanted to draw on the poignant events that humankind has experienced in the last year,” twst says. “I wanted it to feel overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, and for it to visually move at the same hectic pace that the song does. Each line refers to a variety of different problems that really fucking bother me—it’s fake news, climate change, over consumption, internet addiction, misogyny—all part of an apocalyptic feeling that’s kind of looming right now.”
“Hikikomori baby comes from the Japanese social phenomenon known as ‘hikikomori’—a psychological condition where people shut themselves off from society, often staying in their houses for months on end. I can definitely relate to these feelings of isolation and wonder where the line blurs between a psychological condition, and what we just dismiss as modern, technology-based life.”
“Of course, it seems all too relevant now—the pandemic has put almost the whole world into isolation, yet we are technically more connected than ever. I found this parallel pretty striking, as although we’re still all at home and in extreme circumstances, the noise of technology and events doesn’t stop. The narrative of the song deals with this overstimulation with a cripplingly lonely callout—am I actually being heard? Being noticed? Does what I care about matter? Do I make a difference at all with my views?”
The EP will feature “Are You Listening?—which earned twst Radio 1 plays with Annie Mac and Jack Saunders—and previously released tracks “Always” and “Girl On Your TV,” all of which she co-produced with Danio Forni. The original version of “sad girls club but u gotta be cute,” which premiered via V Magazine, finds twst producing on her own. The new video follows the Tayhana remix of “sad girls club but u gotta be cute”—listen here, and previously shared remixes of “Girl On Your TV” by Clams Casino—listen here, and Strict Face—listen here.
Born and raised in Barry, Wales, twst grew up working in her father’s chicken factory. At 14, she left home and formal education and relocated to a recording studio in the South Wales Valleys where she began teaching herself about music production and pop culture. Now based in London, twst writes, produces and directs all of her music and videos, mostly within the four walls of her bedroom, and frequently collaborates with other creatives she has befriended from London’s close-knit music community.
