When “Meet Me At Our Spot” went viral a few years ago and eventually reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, Willow garnered hordes of new fans. While expanding her audience is always welcome, the 23-year-old singer-songwriter first debuted on the Hot 100 nearly 15 years ago with “Whip My Hair,” and now, she's looking back on that era with Billboard News in view of her upcoming Empathogenic album.
“There were a lot of fun things about it,” he reflects. “When I was a teenager, I was a lot like, 'Oh, no, trauma… there were things that hurt me and things I don't understand!' And now, I'm like… obviously, there were things that hurt you and things that you don't understand, but, overall, my message hasn't really changed!”
The children's anthem of self-reliance marked the musical debut of Willow, who was just 10 years old at the time. Co-written by Ronald Jackson and Janae Ratliff and co-produced by Tim Carter and Jukebox & Obanga, “Whip My Hair” played on the 2010s party rap scene, with Willow using a rap-sung beat over a mix of heavy synths and drums. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100, becoming the highest charting hit of Willow's career Billboard marquee single chart. “Whip My Hair” also landed on the Year-End Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for two consecutive years: 2010 (No. 84) and 2011 (No. 76).
“'Whip My Hair' is like, 'Be yourself, live strong, don't care what anyone thinks, express yourself!' Willow explains in Billboard News. “That hasn't really changed. I really feel like 'Whip My Hair' is just a foundation for everything that came later… It was a lot of fun. I'm so grateful – I'd never take it back.”
Since “Whip My Hair” lit up the charts, Willow has released five solo studio albums and a collaborative LP with Tyler Cole titled The stress. of 2021 I've been feeling everything lately is her only solo album to reach the Billboard 200 (No. 46), boosted, in large part, by the success of the Travis Barker-assisted lead single, “Transparent Soul.” Later that year, The stress became Willow's second career Billboard 200 entry, climbing to No. 103 and spending 11 weeks on the chart, her longest-running to date.
With a catalog that spans atmospheric alternative music to sleek punk-pop and soulful rock n' roll, it's no surprise that Willow has continued the musical path she set with 'Whip My Hair' nearly 15 years ago .
“I tried to get out of it. I tried to say, “No! I'm not a musician, I'll do something else,” and then, guess what? It's just coming back!” she says. “That's how you know something is really important to you. If it causes you pain and discomfort and you still want to do it? I trust that inner drive. Even through the suffering, you say, “I have to stick with this.”
Part of one of the last generations of child stars to rise to fame without TikTok, Willow jokes that “it would probably be on” if she was 10 and released 'Whip My Hair' today. “I can't even imagine…thinking about it is actually kind of interesting!”
EmpathogenicWillow's sixth studio album, is out on DSPs on Friday 3rd May.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/willow-whip-my-hair-legacy-billboard-news-interview-1235668964/
