Fiona Apple has posted a video message asking fans to help ensure that courts in Maryland stay virtually accessible to the public.
The video was shared yesterday (March 17) on Court Watch PG’s Instagram. “Hello! I’ve come here today to tell you about my new make-up line — yeah, I’m fucking kidding,” she said at the beginning of the video.
“About a year ago, I made a video around Grammy time saying ‘fuck the Grammys, we don’t care about the transparency there. What really matters is transparency in actual courtrooms.’ That still matters,” she added.
Last year, Apple chose not to attend the Grammy awards, explaining her decision in a video message. She went on to win Best Alternative Music Album for her lauded 2020 record ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’, while that album’s track ‘Shameika’ also won Best Rock Performance.
“It’s not because I’m trying to protest, even though I have problems with the Grammys, it’s not because of that,” she said.
“It’s really because I don’t want to be on national television – I’m just not made for that kind of stuff anymore. I want to stay sober and I can’t do that sober – it doesn’t feel safe to me to be under exposure, scrutiny, comparison to people. I can’t.”
Going on to recognise that “there’s been lots of questions about the transparency of the Grammys,” Apple added: “I feel like that’s important, but it’s not important.
“What really really is undeniably important is the transparency in actual court rooms,” she said, urging fans to sign a petition to keep court rooms, including the Prince George’s County court room in Maryland, where Apple is a court watcher, accessible.
In the new video, Apple explains how Court Watch PG has completed legislation demanding the continuation of remote accessibility to courtrooms in Maryland. This makes it possible for members of the general public to monitor court hearings for any potential injustices.
Apple goes on to note how the support of Maryland state senator/Judicial Proceedings Committee chairman William Smith Jr. and House of Delegates member/Judiciary Committee chairman Luke Clippinger is needed to get the legislation onto the floor for a vote.
“Here’s what we would do, we would just make two phone calls. I’ve done it already and I have phone phobia. So if I can do it, you can do it,” she explains with instructions on a board behind her.
In other music news, last year Apple delivered a rendition of Sharon Van Etten‘s ‘Love More’. The track was recorded for the anniversary edition of the latter’s 2010 album ‘Epic’.
Van Etten previously teased the cover on social media, sharing her performance of the track for her forthcoming film epic Ten: the documentary and concert, saying she was “honored” to have Apple cover the song.
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