Modesta was born in Daugavpils in 1988 where she learned singing aged six at a local music school. Moskaļova moved with her family from Latvia to the United Kingdom when she was 12 years old. Due to a doctor's negligence at her birth, Moskalova spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals. This accident led to a lasting problem with her left leg. In 2007, she had a voluntary below-the-knee leg amputation to improve her mobility and safeguard her future health. Her physicality has become known for challenging the modern perception of altered beauty.
Viktoria Modesta has forged a unique and empowering identity as a singer, model, and performance artist since emerging on the London scene in 2008. Born in Latvia during the end of the Cold War, she struggled during childhood, enduring numerous failed procedures to correct her dislocated left leg and hip, an affliction she'd suffered since birth. In the late '90s her family immigrated to Britain, where her physical disability continued to plague her throughout her teenage years. At the age of 20 she underwent voluntary surgery to amputate her leg below the knee. The operation turned out to be a positive and life-altering event, and with the aid of advanced prosthetics, Modesta returned to her fledgling career in fashion and music with a renewed vigor, turning her disability into a sort of personal symbol and challenging society's modern perception of physical beauty.
Returning to her music school roots, she paired with songwriter Nik Hodges to collaborate on a set of brassy, club-oriented pop songs that would comprise her 2010 release EP1. Immersing herself in the fashion scene and creating her image as a distinct and cutting-edge artist and personality, she began working with forward-thinking prosthetic designers at the Alternative Limb Project to push the envelope of art, fashion, and utility. She soon began appearing in photos and videos sporting a variety of unusual leg designs. Her performance at the 2012 Paralympic Closing Ceremonies alongside Coldplay was a deciding moment, branding her as an icon for challenging the views of disability and sexuality. In 2014 she built on this image, working with London's Channel 4 to debut the video for her song "Prototype." Accompanied by the tagline "Born Risky," the provocative video featured Modesta performing with a number of bizarre prosthetics like a black spike, a glowing neon lamp, and a jewel-encrusted leg, bolstering her claim as the world's first amputee pop star.
Official website www.viktoriamodesta.com
Prototype
Viktoria Modesta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm the pro.. I'm the pro.. I'm the pro
I'm the pro.. I'm the pro.. I'm the pro
I'm the prototype
I'm the pro.. I'm the pro.. I'm the pro
I'm the pro.. I'm the pro.. I'm the pro
I'm the prototype
Another life, filled with parts
Circuit board, connecting hearts
Nostalgia for the future
We're playing god
And now's the time
We're limitless, we're not confined
It's our future
[Chorus](x2)
[Bridge]
Provocately I deny your effort, I'm dedicated
Coz' I'm not restricted by your method
I ain't another project, just messing with your logic
I'm progressive, not agressive
Stop limiting yourself with your ambition
Your insults, they just give me ammunition
I got a full clip and a hot whip
Are you ready coz' we going on a guilt trip ahh..
[Verse 2]
Assemble me, piece by piece
Strip away the incomplete, the model of the future
Colliding minds, it's just a start
Feel the sparks, we're building art
It's the vertigo of freedom ohh..
[Chorus](x4)
In Viktoria Modesta's song "Prototype," the chorus declares "I'm the prototype," identifying the singer as a new type of being, unique and cutting edge. The verses speak of a life filled with parts, comparing humans to circuit boards connecting hearts, and longing for a nostalgic future. Modesta sings about playing god and being limitless. The bridge denies any attempts to limit the singer with insults or methods that confine, and instead states that the singer is progressive and ready to push boundaries. The second verse talks about being pieced together, with incomplete parts stripped away to create a model of the future. The overall message is one of progress, innovation, and being unafraid to experiment with new ideas.
One possible interpretation of the lyrics is that Modesta is singing about transhumanism - the idea that technology can be used to improve human abilities and enhance the human condition. The circuit board metaphor and references to assembling parts suggest a kind of cyborg or transhuman being, while the emphasis on freedom and breaking boundaries align with the transhumanist values of autonomy and self-determination. The idea of being a prototype also implies a sense of experimentation and exploration, as if the singer is testing the boundaries of what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the pro.. I'm the pro.. I'm the pro
I am skilled, confident, and the best in what I do
I'm the prototype
I am a new creation, not following any norms or standards
Another life, filled with parts
My life is a complex arrangement of different components and experiences
Circuit board, connecting hearts
Creating connections between people just like a circuit board connects different parts of a device
Nostalgia for the future
Feeling a deep longing for a future that is yet to come
We're playing god
We are in control and creating our own destiny, like being a god
And now's the time
This is the opportune moment to seize the future
We're limitless, we're not confined
There are no boundaries or restrictions to what we can do
Provocately I deny your effort, I'm dedicated
I reject your conventional ways and ideas, and am committed to my own path
Coz' I'm not restricted by your method
I am not bound by your conventional techniques or systems
I ain't another project, just messing with your logic
I am not someone you can work on as your project, I challenge your traditional ways of thinking
I'm progressive, not agressive
I am pushing for change and moving forward, not trying to overpower others
Stop limiting yourself with your ambition
Don't let your aspirations and goals hold you back by putting limits on yourself
Your insults, they just give me ammunition
Your negative comments or criticisms just motivate and fuel me
I got a full clip and a hot whip
I am fully equipped and ready for whatever comes my way
Are you ready coz' we going on a guilt trip ahh..
Are you prepared for the consequences of your actions because that's where we are headed
Assemble me, piece by piece
Put me together little by little, until I am complete
Strip away the incomplete, the model of the future
Remove anything that is not yet fully developed to create a perfect representation of the future
Colliding minds, it's just a start
When different ideas come together, that's only the beginning
Feel the sparks, we're building art
With every interaction, we are creating something beautiful and meaningful
It's the vertigo of freedom ohh..
The dizziness and excitement of being free and unrestricted in what we can do
Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@brandnewnumb5008
I love how she flaunts her disability and molds it into a powerful weapon. She inspires me to gather my inner strength and move forward despite how ignorant and judgemental society can be. Thank you Viktoria.
@waslaughing
She's not flauting her disability. She's flaunting the prosthetic legs
@nvnax
@@waslaughing same thing
@nvnax
@@waslaughing no it isn’t tho. Just say no it’s not
@nvnax
@@waslaughing trademark ? Who do U think u are the queen
@nvnax
@@waslaughing unless u happen to be incest you arnt fit to be a royal lol
@ninatorres2072
Six years and i still don't understand why she's not ruling the world as the most amazing ICON
@rayyy5165
what
@vienstbattre6609
because the song is bad
@sanquis
she is and this is true power