Willow Smith is reflecting on how her hair has evolved over the years.
The 21-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith had her breakout career moment in 2010 with the release of her song “Whip My Hair.”
Willow Smith Reflects On The Evolution Of Her Hair
At the time of the single’s release, then 9-year-old Willow had long braids. Fast forward a few years later, and the singer has since shaved off her hair.
And now, she is looking at what doing so meant to her.
“I like to see a glare on my scalp, a bounce of light,” Willow told Glamour UK in a September 1 interview. “Shaving my head is maybe the most radical thing I’ve done in the name of beauty.”
She explained that growing up, “there were a lot of layers” in her relationship with her hair and skin as a Black woman, adding that it was “definitely a learning curve.”
Today, Willow is known for switching up her locks often, which she admits reflects her mood.
“However I’m feeling, I like to do that. I don’t really like to think about it too much,” she said. “I love to be free with it. I think just being me sometimes is radical.”
Willow shared how looking up to other “beautiful” Black women is what eventually led to a shift in her perspective.
“Just looking at someone who’s like me, living their truth and doesn’t let what society says tear them down,” she said. “I think that was the most important [influence] for me as a child.”
And much like her hair, Willow’s music has also taken on a new life since she released her first single.
Elsewhere in the interview, she discussed her upcoming album Coping Mechanism, which will be released later this month.
“Music has been at the forefront of some of earth’s biggest paradigm shifts,” she noted. “Part of the reason I love it is because it’s such a strong agent of change. I definitely think there’s always more to do in [terms of] the way that we do business in these artistic branches and endeavors.”
She added, “It’s systematic oppression. If we start to undo that, then hopefully real change can happen.”
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