It’s hard to imagine, but Willow Smith has twice the charisma of her superstar parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. At just 10 years old, she has already scored a hit single—“Whip My Hair,” which bumps as hard as anything by Beyoncé—and a contract with Jay-Z’s powerhouse Roc Nation.
“I like the way Billy Idol sings,” she says about her musical influences.
“Mommy turned me on to him. And I like Lady Gaga’s songs.”
One-on-one, Willow is more articulate than many adults; what’s more amazing is that she comes off as a normal kid who’s just following her interests.
“I can’t do whatever I want,” she explains. “Mommy has to say it’s okay.” Although she is “focusing on music right now,”
it seems a given that Willow will eventually end up on the big screen; her brother Jaden became a celebrity in his own right after taking the lead role in the recent Karate Kid remake.
“Mommy and Daddy inspired me to be a performer,” Willow 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!”