‘Singer-songwriter Willow releases sixth studio album “Empathogen”.
Singer-songwriter Willow Smith, better known as Willow, has released her sixth studio album Empathogen, on May 3rd, 2024. This is the 23 year old musician’s first album in two years, following 2022’s Coping Mechanism. Known for her eclectic sound of alternative rock and punk with some subtle pop sensibilities, heard in her recent hits like “Transparent Soul”, “Meet Me At Our Spot,” and “Maybe It’s My Fault”, the twelve song LP showcases the singer maintaining her signature sound while experimenting with jazz and soul melodies.
Writer Brad Callas, in his 2024 article for Complex, “Willow Returns With New Album ‘Empathogen’”, writes, “Willow, 23, detailed the creative process behind Empathogen… where she credited Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, and Sarah Vaughan as her musical influences behind the album… ‘I just grew up a little bit, and I really am starting to figure out what kind of musician I really want to be,’ Smith shared…. ‘It’s about being a well-rounded musician more than anything for me and not being pigeonholed into any specific genre.’”
Willow has been making music since 2011 when she debuted with her viral hit, “Whip My Hair.” The former Red Table Talk co-host reflected on its legacy in a recent interview for Billboard. “‘Whip My Hair’ is like, ‘be yourself, live out loud, don’t care what anybody thinks, express yourself!’ Willow explains to Billboard News. ‘That hasn’t really changed. I really feel like ‘Whip My Hair’ is just a foundation for everything that has come later … It was a lot of fun. I am so grateful — I would never take it back.’” Adding to the diverse sound catalog of her family, WIllow has carved out her own distinct sound with a collection of songs that is reminiscent of 90’s/ 2000’s female rock singer-songwriters Avril Lavigne, Paramore, Alanis Morrisette, Tracy Chapman, and Natalie Merchant.
Titled after the psychoactive drug that increases a person’s feelings of empathy, the album sees Willow collaborating with the likes of John Batiste and St. Vincent on tracks like “Home” and “Pain for Fun”, respectively. The album also includes recent singles, “Big Feelings”, “Run”, and “Symptom of Life”.The former and latter songs were performed live for the first time when Willow made her debut on NPR’s Tiny Desk while she performed “Home” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Empathogen can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
