Five Awesome Willow Smith Songs You’ve Probably Never Heard
14-year-old Willow Smith has been making headlines since the release of her debut single, “Whip My Hair” in 2010. The catchy pop tune helped Willow gain worldwide recognition and eventually achieved platinum status in the United States. Although critics were reluctant to accept the single, many could not help becoming caught up in the hair whipping madness. The public quickly became infatuated with Willow and her unique image. Her second single, “21st Century Girl,” was officially released on March 1, 2011 after Willow performed the song on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The song was far less successful than “Whip My Hair,” and to many Willow’s music career had come and gone before she even completed puberty.
However, although Willow has yet to release a song with as much mainstream praise as “Whip My Hair,” she has continued to pursue a music career. In a recent interview with The Fader, Willow discussed her music career and what she hopes fans take away from her work. She told the magazine, “I wanna transcend personality. I wanna transcend all of that and go into a higher state of being.” While Willow’s music has certainly matured since her debut, she insists that her core message has remained the same: “I don’t think it’s that different from what I was saying before, cause I was saying ‘Love yourself’ and ‘You have to live your life for yourself.’ Now I’m just coming to the spiritual and consciousness aspects of it…My lyrics are probably what’s gonna be packing the most punch, and my tracks are in the background just coolin it, like, ‘Hear what she just said?’”
At a time when most of her peers are struggling to find their place in the social hierarchy are of the teenage world, Willow seems to be a step ahead of the game. Her confidence and composure have landed her in a league of her own and her growth as a person can definitely be seen and heard in her new music. Now citing the legendary Erykah Badu as one of her influences, Willow released her first EP,3 , in October of 2014. 3 gave Willow’s fans a chance experience her new sound; however, the projects three song track list was limiting and didn’t include the majority of song’s Willow has recorded between 2010 and now. While Willow may always be most famous for “Whip My Hair” she has proven that her talent transcends the confines of formulaic radio music. Here are five awesome Willow Smith songs that you’ve probably never heard.
5. “Drowning”
Released in 2013 as a non-album single, Willow’s “Drowning” features Mecca Kalani and is a powerful song about a relationship gone wrong. As Willow sings, “all she ever did was pick at the scars that he left her on heart,” it’s clear that she is about to take us deep into a world of pain and sadness.
4. “I Am Me”
Willow Smith has often been noted for her unique fashion sense and fearless demeanor. Her song, “I Am Me” is an ode to unapologetic individuality. The song differs greatly from the up-tempo pop sound of her most popular song, “Whip My Hair”, and highlights Willow’s surprisingly impressive vocal range. As she belts out, “I’m me/I’m free/and that’s all I can be,” it’s clear that Willow understands something that many people twice her age are still learning. At the end of the song, Willow sends listeners away with a positive message as she says “coexist, love each other, be yourself. You have to be yourself; be real, be honest.”
3. “Sugar and Spice”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LmD1QiqJcY
Willow’s “Sugar and Spice” isn’t as sweet as the title suggests. As Willow opens the song, it is clear that while she strives to be “sugar and spice” she just can’t seem to pull it together. The song’s first verse takes listeners to a dark place where Willow shares, “…They wanna puncture me and then wonder why I bleed/The big city everyone is looking for/Step on my ladder and bathe in glory/Inject my soul with darkness/And take my heart and go market it/And the past lasts like a tear stain/I’m in the dark, pin on the wall/But I don’t see a thing/I write circles in the sky/While I’m drowning.”
2. “Your Love V2”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icdFIM75OmI
Willow’s “Your Love V2,” not to be confused with Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love, is a very catchy and intriguing song about an addicting love. The song borrows its beat from the xx’s “Basic Space,” and Willows enchanting lyrics make it very easy to forget that she is only 14 years old. Your Love V2’s” opening lyrics, “I love you /More than you could ever know/I love you/Even when the sky is falling” paint a beautifully poetic picture, and Willow delivers the words with the assurance of someone twice her age. Critics have been and fans have been impressed by Willow’s transiton and FDRMX.com gave the song a rating of 3.8 out of 5.
1. “8”
Willow Smith’s”8″ was produced by Kitty Cash and released in the summer of 2014. It is featured on her debut EP, 3, and also appeared on Kitty Cash’s Love the Free mixtape. The song’s opening lyrics: “Take the money/Take the fame/All I want is truth,” make it clear that young Willow is wise beyond her years. Apparently seeing through the corrupt nature of the world, Willow shares her views by calling attention to the people who refuse to acknowledge their wrong behavior. The song’s chorus: “Burning bridges/Posies all fall down/Now consciousness is all there is/And nothingness/As well/What are we?/What to see?/My third eye is opening,” continues the song’s initial sentiments as it follows Willow on her journey to self-awareness.
(Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
