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I have a huge interest in how twins are depicted in different cultures.  I’m guessing it’s because I’m a twin.  My favorite story of twins comes from Antiquity, the myth of Castor and Pollux (who become the Gemini twins).  But a close second is the Yoruba concept of the “ibeji.”

The Yoruba people are an ethnic group from Nigeria, which happens to have the highest rate of twin births in the world.  Unfortunately, however, the death rate is also high.  Yoruba beliefs holds that the first twin born is a sort of “scout” and, once they see the world, sends a message back to the other twin telling them whether they should continue into this world.  If not, the twin yet to be born is stillborn.  If neither twin thinks that life will be good enough, they are both stillborn.  The twins also share a singular soul.

If one of the twins dies then there is the problem of the living twin’s soul being in crisis.  So physical representations of the twins, called ibeji, are created to house the soul of the twins.  These have traditionally been carved wooden sculptures.

As per usual, European colonial powers sought to destroy this practice and impose Christianity.  Under England’s control, ibeji figures were made illegal.  The Yoruba people adapted and created ibeji less noticeably “African” through photography

and more European looking sculptures.  The actual physical appearance of the twins is not important because the ibeji is meant to capture the soul.  The statues are the same in appearance and for photography, the image of the surviving twin is duplicated.  If the twins are of different sexes, then one of the photos will be of the surviving twin dressed as the opposite gender.

In April 2013 Matilda the musicalwill reach the streets of NY from its London home and join the crowds of other big number Broadway musicals that fill the historic theaters. I have high hopes for Matilda after watching this interview of the composer of the children’s novel turned musical, Tim Minchin, by NYT journalist Patrick Healy.

[ see video here ]

What gives me hope for this musical that will set it apart from many of its over-priced, over-set, gaudy under-thought Broadway predecessors is that the composer truly believes in the magic that is Roald Dahl.  Minchin does not attempt to make the stage spit glitter and have the dolled up actors throw can-can kicks around the stage. Instead, he composes the musical to posses the same struggle and underlying darkness of the book itself, while bringing lightness with music and humor that Dahl does with text.  “It’s about child abuse…a horrible story, to have kids thrown around by their hair, beaten, locked in cellars, and deprived of an education, and yet have such a light air to it” says Minchin.  He explains that these underlying themes are prevalent is many childhood stories, and it is the craft of the writer to bring this to people’s attention in the most light-hearted way.

Dahl (1916 – 1990) authored children’s books close to the hearts of those in the millennial generation, with works such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factor, the BFG, The Witches, and The Twits. Dahl, like the characters in Matilda, experienced a childhood filled with loneliness and struggle, as his father and sister passed away while he was still a child, and he was later sent to boarding school.  He was a rebellious child , often caned for the pranks he played on teachers and his rejection of God and religion. After serving in WWII, Dahl’s experience with his wife and daughter, Sophie (who he named the paralleled character in the BFG after), suffered health issues throughout their lives. It makes sense then that Dahl would pull upon his experiences and translate distasteful incidents into fantastical, and allegorical, stories for children to relate and escape into.

The images from the trailer to the musical exhibit deep hues of blue, black and grey within the set, and similar costuming and sets to that of the 1996 movie, directed by Danny DeVito. Currently, the musical is sold out at its London location and has won sever Olivier Awards, including Best Musical, with high hopes for its New York premier.

I am not entirely sure what I was doing with my life at 16 years old, but I can say with utmost certainty I was not a New Zealand pop star whose 5-track EP is taking over the world. Barely old enough to drive in the US, Ella Yelich O’Connor (formally known as Lorde) has been climbing charts across several continents ever since the release of her first EP, titled The Love Club. It is now the third ranked album in New Zealand, and boasts the track Royals, which has reached Number One. Again, to reiterate: she is 16 years old. Don’t believe the hype? Take a quick listen to any of the five songs on the EP, and I guarantee any of your skepticism will vanish. Her voice has the depth and range of a 25-year old, not to mention a similarly mature range of diction. She sings about the fake, contrived lifestyle of pop stars (Lana Del Ray, in particular) and adheres to her modest upbringing. In one of the first interviews she gave, Lorde cited the importance of literature and writing in her life, and listed off a few impressive and intellectual names. Even stripping her of her irresistibly attractive voice would still leave some emotionally candid and provocative lyrics.

But that voice! Lorde’s music is instantly appealing because of its consistent sound: a deep and regular egg-shaker-type beat, grand accompanying vocals sung in a round, and of course Lorde’s primary vocals in the foreground. It’s Lana Del Ray meets m83 who kicks it a little with Lilly Allen while chatting with RJD2. And it sounds freaking amazing. Each track adds variety, and they are all distinct in their own tone, however there is an undeniable cohesion to the short EP. Lorde simply does not mess around; she knows the message she wants to deliver and has the skills to do it. Out of the 5 tracks, three most noticeably prove this fact.

We open with Bravado, by far the most m83-esque of the group, a song that is most definitely influenced by one of Lorde’s favorite bands, Animal Collective. This is the darkest track on the EP, and it takes almost half of the song before we are introduced to Lorde’s bright and chipper spirit. The song is a great introduction to Lorde’s ability to play around with tempo, and vacillate between octaves. It would not be my choice of song to blast on a sunny day, but it is nonetheless impressive.

Next in line is the masterpiece of the collection, titled Royals. This song is just brilliant. It’s fun, it’s catchy, it’s meaningful and it’s artistically remarkable. Lorde absolutely rips the celebrity lifestyle to pieces, ridiculing the lyrical content of mainstream pop music. She attests (by practically rapping) “But every song’s like gold teeth/gray goose/tripping in the bathroom/bloodstains/ball gowns/trashing the hotel room,” and then immediately responds to this with the statement, “We don’t care, we’re driving Cadillac’s in our dreams.” Lorde is proud of the fact that she and her friends are not obsessed with the maniacal, celebrity lifestyle; they do not idealize expensive liquor or cars, and are not creating music to get rich. This attitude may reflect the fact that Lorde is still a full time high school student, but it is still laudable that she has not been consumed in the image of a trashy celebrity. This song is also unique because Lorde restrains nothing vocally; she exhibits her full capacity, and it is astonishing. This is a track that will stay in your head for days, and will add the lightest hop to your step.

Finally, sharing the same name as the EP, the song The Love Club is also a gem. Although not as dynamic as Royals the Love Club makes up for this with its lyricism. By spinning a rich tale of maturation and belonging, Lorde weaves her most complex metaphor, and reveals aspects of her childhood and the social experiences of her sixteen years of age. This track, above all, exemplifies Lorde’s unmatched ability to blend her youthful spirit and advanced writing skills. I highly recommend giving this EP a listen, and to keep an eye out for Lorde in the future. In her words, “It’s time the kid got free.”

lorde.co.nz