Exclusive: Willow Smith opens up about painful breakups and why she’s not afraid of angry black woman stereotypes

Willow Smith Ready to step into her next chapter.Starlet covers the November issue of spinon her neoclassical single “Whip My Hair,” talks about the pop star’s past as a 9-year-old hitmaker. dark and confusing Despite its bubblegum-like brightness on the surface, to this day, the artist is in complete control of his narrative.

In the article, taken by Mnachi Osegbu, red table talk The star has discussed stepping into herself, even if it means being perceived as the stereotypical “angry black woman” because she expresses some of her troubling emotions.

“What other feelings do you have when you look at history and what black women have had to endure?” Smith asks. “We shouldn’t be afraid of that stereotype. We should be like, ‘Okay, yes, and tell me why. 15 million reasons.’i’m not alone angry in vainI’m not just angry because nothing happened. I am angry because there has been hundreds of years of truly unjust abuse and violation and violence. Even our own men turn us on. It hurts too. I think we need to come together and be more considerate of each other. Black women are no different. ”

The songstress unleashes much of that anger and frustration on her latest album. <コーピングメカニズム>which focuses on a particularly painful breakup she went through recent girlfriend.

“I hate clutter, but to heal something you have to bring it to the surface.”

She won’t name or give details, but says the project has helped her on her journey to healing and self-love and acceptance.

“Purification of you before,” she says of the project’s message. “When you make a cocoon, it emerges as a butterfly. It may sound clichéd, but there is no other way to describe it. The caterpillar becoming a butterfly is primordial…natural…but also magical.Both at once. It can be messy It can be uncomfortable It can be scary But it can also be beautiful, it can be fantastic, it can be magical It can be very earthly and it can also be very It’s both spiritual and very cosmic.I like to embrace those dualities.My songwriting is an expression of who I am.Love yourself for who you are. It’s all spiritual when you’re learning

Part of that spiritual journey involved Smith embracing sobriety during that time. stay away from marijuana It seems to have stayed on that journey during the pandemic, delving deeper into self and art.

‘My problem is extremes,’ she shared spin“Once I started smoking, I smoke every day. So I’m trying to find that middle ground, and if you don’t know that middle ground, I suggest you stay flat.”

Read Willow Smith’s full cover story hereCheck out some of her photos from SPIN’s November issue unfolding below: