As famous parents go, few are as known and revered as Will Smith and Jada Pinkett.
Naturally then, it was always a given that their offspring – Jaden and Willow Smith -would be of immediate notability.
And earlier indication suggested it was a status the pair were embracing; Jaden via acting and Willow by way of music. Indeed, who could forget her explosive debut – aged just 9 – with ‘Whip My Hair’?
Well, according to the singer – who is now 17 – it’s not been smooth sailing. So much so that
Her words came during an interview with Girl Gaze e-zine to promote her new album ‘The 1st.’
She explained of her predicament (and those of other famous kids):
“Growing up and trying to figure out your life… while people feel like they have some sort of entitlement to know what’s going on, is absolutely, excruciatingly terrible— and the only way to get over it, is to go into it. You can’t change your face. You can’t change your parents. You can’t change any of those things.
So I feel like most kids like me end up going down a spiral of depression, and the world is sitting there looking at them through their phones; laughing and making jokes and making memes at the crippling effect that this lifestyle has on the psyche. When you’re born into it, there are two choices that you have; I’m either going to try to go into it completely and help from the inside, or… no one is going to know where I am… and I’m really going to take myself completely out of the eye of society. There’s really no in-between.”
While some will be quick to dismiss her words as privileged waffle, we definitely see where she’s coming from.
Her ability to articulate an experience rarely explored (in a non-whiney way) is impressive.
On a random note, we remain excited for her potential as an artist.
Her releases over the years (of which there have been many) have been rolled out with what feels like minimal fanfare – purposefully. Almost as if to grant her the scope to explore all corners of her artistry and work out the kinks ahead of a more measured push.