Last month, Marika Hackman invited her fans to share stories of any time they have felt shame associated with female self-pleasure. Marika has used their stories to prompt a conversation around the taboo topic, which she has explored further in this thoughtful, and often humorous new video for “hand solo.”
“hand solo” extols the virtues of masturbation and features Marika’s favorite line: “Under patriarchal law, I’m going to die a virgin.” The impossible-to-ignore video for “hand solo” has been directed by Sam Bailey who Marika collaborated with previously on the UK Music Video Awards-winning video for‘My Lover Cindy’. The pair worked closely with Evie Fehilly – a sex educator who runs sex-positive workshops in London at the female-focused sex shop SH!
Marika discussing the video: “I wrote ‘hand solo’ as a bit of light-hearted relief, a wank anthem for women everywhere. I loved the idea of playing on old wives’ tales about the dangers of masturbation and pushing the boundaries about what is socially acceptable. I met Sam and we came up with this playful, tongue-in-cheek idea about hands all over the world masturbating on everyday objects, and even places, and eventually the world. The hands were directed by the wonderful Evie Fehilly, a sex educator who runs sex-positive workshops in London at the famous sex shop SH!. Despite the video being quite fun, I wanted to make a serious point at the end, after the world explodes in its orgasm, that masturbation is still for many women perceived as something shameful and embarrassing – the moment of shame after the ecstasy. We asked for any female-identifying people to anonymously submit their experiences of shame relating to masturbation, and we received so many heart-breaking and heavy stories. I hope that when people see these accounts, they can relate and realize that there’s no shame in masturbation.”
Marika Hackman’s new album Any Human Friend is out now on Sub Pop in North and South America and the rest of the world via AMF Records. The album was co-produced by David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The xx, Let’s Eat Grandma) and Marika herself, and shows off a sharper and more liberated sound than ever before.
The Fat Angel Sings 