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In an industry where family names often carry significant weight, Willow Smith, daughter of Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is finally making something clear.<\/strong><\/p>\n She does not want to be labeled as a \u2018nepo baby,\u2019 an infamous title granted to those in the entertainment industry who have gotten big breaks because of their famous last names.<\/strong><\/p>\n But Willow Smith wants to set the record straight once and for all. Keep reading to know more.<\/strong><\/p>\n Willow Smith, the daughter of Hollywood icons\u00a0Will Smith<\/a>\u00a0and Jada Pinkett Smith, was already used to the spotlight. But in 2010, the nine-year-old released her debut single, \u201cWhip My Hair,\u201d and stepped out from under her family\u2019s shadow, proving she was a star in her own right.<\/p>\n The song, a fierce anthem of self-expression, empowering lyrics, and that iconic hair-whipping hook, quickly became a cultural sensation that resonated with listeners of all ages.<\/p>\n It also catapulted Willow \u2013 the youngest of Smith\u2019s three kids \u2013 into the spotlight, and she hit the road, touring internationally with\u00a0Justin Bieber<\/a>.<\/p>\n But for a young girl, the attention was too intense.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a time where it was really, really dark. I was trying to run away from it in every single way that I could,\u201d she told\u00a0Allure<\/a>\u00a0in a May 2024 interview.<\/p>\n And, she responded by shaving her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe energy that your hair holds through your whole life, all of your sadness and your happiness and your confusion, your hair is on you forever. And when you shave it off, you\u2019re kind of naked. You\u2019re kind of like, you need to be new now.\u201d<\/p>\n Previously\u00a0admitting<\/a>\u00a0that she \u201creally regretted\u201d the time she called her debut song an \u201cembarrassment,\u201d Willow later shared with\u00a0Billboard News<\/a>, that as an adult, she\u2019s grateful for the experience she had after releasing \u201cWhip My Hair.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of fun things about it. When I was a teenager, I was very like, \u2018Uh, no, trauma\u2026there were things that hurt me and things I don\u2019t understand!\u2019 And now, I\u2019m like\u2026obviously, there were things that hurt you and things that you don\u2019t understand, but, overall, my message hasn\u2019t really changed!\u201d<\/p>\n She adds, \u201c[The song] is like, \u2018be yourself, live out loud, don\u2019t care what anybody thinks, express yourself!\u2019\u201d said the 24-year-old\u00a0Grammy<\/a>\u00a0nominee. \u201cThat hasn\u2019t really changed. I really feel like \u2018Whip My Hair\u2019 is just a foundation for everything that has come later\u2026It was a lot of fun. I am so grateful \u2013 I would never take it back.\u201d<\/p>\n While her debut single showcased her as a pop artist, Willow quickly distanced herself from mainstream expectations. Instead of riding the wave of pop stardom, she delved into alternative and experimental music, carving out her own niche.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve tried to run away from it. I\u2019ve tried to be like, \u2018No! I\u2019m not a musician, I\u2019m gonna do something else,\u2019 and then, guess what? It just keeps coming back!\u201d said the co-author of \u201cBlack Shield Maiden,\u201d a historical fantasy about an African warrior in a Viking world. \u201cThat\u2019s how you know something is really important to you. If it causes you pain and discomfort and you\u2019re still wanting to do it? I trust that inner drive. Even through the discomfort, you\u2019re like, \u2018I gotta stick with this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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