WILLOW is Back! Breaking Through with A Sound That’ll Have You Feeling EVERYTHING.

WILLOW is an insanely good musician and artist. She’s been in the musical spotlight for years, the years that are vital in terms of growth. Y’know, that period of time where we go from a kid to a teen, to a young adult? Not only can we see growth within WILLOW as she steps into this next stage of her life as a person, but also in her music. It’s no secret that from our teens to early twenties we learn, discover new things and we tend to feel everything all at once. We want to yell, scream and sing at the top of our lungs like we’re staring in the latest coming of age film. At only 20 years of age, as of July 16^th 2021, she releases her fifth album, ‘lately I feel EVERYTHING’.

Alt-rock, pop-punk, indie and carrying inspired elements from heroes she adored as a teen such as Avril Lavigne and Paramore, she drops us into whole new energy that is nothing short of really good music. Let’s not forget, this album also has features from Travis Barker, Ayla Telser-Mabe, Tierra Whack, Avril Lavigne, and Cherry Glazerr. She has also mentioned that her mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, was a huge influence for this project; having a rock past herself besides her acting career.

WILLOW “was always so inspired by the power of her voice” but was worried about her own ability within the rock genre. WILLOW has a has a warm, rich voice, full of ability and lucky for all of those music lovers out there she “realised it’s not my voice that can’t sing this kind of music. I was afraid to sing this kind of music because I wasn’t sure what people would think.” 

This genre is about letting go, not caring about what anyone else has to say and having it follow rock album, ‘The Anxiety’ which she and Tyler Cole released in 2020, gives it a depth that provides an originality that she has already began with regards to her music catalogue. This next chapter, overcoming the worries and fears about what people think and understanding that you can overcome it. ‘¡BREAKOUT!’, the final track on the album really expresses this. “Old me sitting on a pedestal within, told me I would never get it but I did.” The first track and single released, ‘t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l’ featuring drummer Travis Barker gives insight to introspective work WILLOW did whilst working on this album. It’s pop-punk, letting go, expressive. Kicking off the album with “I don’t fucking know if it’s a lie or it’s a fact / All your little fake friends will sell your secrets for some cash” immediately opens up the doors for us to take a step into this experience, with lyrics that cut deeper than the surface.

 

Each song on this album has a real raw alt rock vibe to it that makes you want to yell the lyrics and dance around your room without a care in the world. It proves her versatility and skill as an artist, lighting up both a nostalgic feeling and a warmth of something entirely new. 

It transports you into the world of music with drums, guitar, bass and vocals that soar right through it all, infusing small elements of blues/indie-soul on the beginning of tracks like ‘Come Home’ featuring indie artist, Ayla Telser-Mabe. 

This entire collection has something for everyone, from rocket-fuelled ‘G R O W’ featuring Avril Lavigne, which is ready to explode; to ‘naïve’ where we get can appreciate vocals and feelings; then to ‘XTRA’ featuring Tierra Whack, taking up bass, guitar-style artistic vibe to it. All referring back to this sense of introspection and the pressures of walking the path into growth. Overall an extremely passion-fuelled album, bringing forth depth, fun, and unmistakable talent. Another chapter of learning and growing it into music, with a message: don’t let fear stop you from doing what you want to, because it might lead to something as cool as this.

 

 

Edana Graham

@ink.l.i.n.e

Image: provided by PR