Willow Smith is about as precocious as a 10-year-old can be, said Matt Diehl in W. The daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, she has already recorded a hit single and video, “Whip My Hair,” which has received nearly 20 million hits on YouTube. Her colorful clothes and ever-changing vertical hairstyles make her seem like a pint-size version of R&B singer Rihanna, and she speaks beyond her years when she talks about her music, not to mention just about everything else. “I like the way Billy Idol sings,” she declares, naming her influences. “Mommy turned me on to him. And I like Lady Gaga’s songs.” Though she has enjoyed a lot of privileges, Willow insists she’s just a normal kid. “I can’t do whatever I want,” she says. “Mommy has to say it’s okay.”
Ever since she can remember, she’s had no doubt that she’d spend her life singing, dancing, and acting. “Mommy and Daddy inspired me to become a performer,” she says. “I get my flow from Daddy, my singing ability from Mommy, and the camera stuff from both. That’s just what happens when you hang out with the Smiths.”
