Grimes by Ryan McGinley Talks 'Miss Anthropocene' in Vogue Italia May 2020

Grimes by Ryan McGinley Talks 'Miss Anthropocene' in Vogue Italia May 2020

Singer Grimes and partner Tesla CEO Elon Musk have birthed their son, a baby boy named  X Æ A-12. Grimes, born Claire Boucher, explains the meaning of the name on Twitter. The child is the first for Grimes. Musk has five sons from his first marriage.

"X, the unknown variable," the new mom wrote.

"Æ, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence)," Grimes continued, before sharing that a part of her son's name is a nod to the CIA's Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance plane. "A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent."

Grimes added that the "A" in the name also represents "Archangel" — which she said is her "favorite song" — while the number "12" stood for the Chinese zodiac sign of the rat. (According to the Chinese zodiac, 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat.)

In her Vogue Italia May 2020 ‘Donna’ editorial, Grimes is styled by Patti Wilson in images by Ryan McGinley. / Hair by Chanel Croker; makeup by Natasha Severino

Vogue Italia writes: “With the whole world in lockdown, ‘Miss Anthropocene’, Grimes' new album, has unwittingly become a possible soundtrack for humanity's decline. Today known simply as c - cursive, tiny, as the symbol of the speed of light - already in 2018 32 year old Canadian Claire Boucher, environmental activist and techno-feminist, had decided to take a step back and regain control of the constellation of her alter-egos.”

Grimes is a passionate eco-warrior activist. The name ‘Anthropocene’ is a proposed geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems, including, but not limited to, anthropogenic climate change.

Read the entire interview at Vogue Italia.