Willow continues to re-invent herself on her pop-punk new single transparent soul. The childhood star first rose to stardom in 2010 with her radio pop-inspired track Whip My Hair but has since shattered any preconceived notion of being a genre-bound artist. On her new track Willow channels her inner Haley Williams, donning all-black leather holding an electric guitar singing about seeing through someone’s shrouded exterior revealing their true intentions with lyrics like “All your little fake friends will sell your secrets for some cash”.

Image Courtesy of Hollywood Life.

Recorded during the first few months of the pandemic, Willow heavily drew inspiration from her mother Jada Pinkett-Smith, having toured with her nu-metal band Wicked Wisdom from ages 3 to 7. Playing percussion on the track is legendary Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, who has become a sort of punk-godfather for this new generation of artists, lending his signature faced-pace touch filled with hard-hitting snares and cymbals. Having played guitar herself since the age of 14 the two share a natural chemistry, with Willow stating in an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe “Travis is one of my favorite artists”.

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Transparent Soul is further proof that Willow can execute whatever style she chooses, whether it be female empowerment on her self-titled 2019 album or furious anger on last year’s ANXIETY. It would be no stretch to assume that the child-celebrity upbringing of Willow has left her with some scars from the spotlight, making her transition into more angst-filled music completely organic. This new track perfectly captures the image of attempting to stay true to yourself while being surrounded by counterfeit. Stay tuned for her upcoming 5th studio album expected to release sometime this summer on Roc Nation.

Image Courtesy of Rolling Stone.