Willow is ALLURE’s May Cover Star!

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In her cover story with ALLURE, Willow discusses her new album, empathogen, and discovering something new in her voice after being in the spotlight since she was nine years old. She also shares her thoughts on being perceived as difficult, being considered a nepo baby, and why she doesn’t necessarily fit the nepo baby mold as a Black woman in America. 

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On being perceived as difficult: “I’ve always been afraid of being perceived as difficult. In this society, a woman who knows what she wants is always perceived as being ‘difficult.’ I’m not being difficult, I just know what I want. And I’m willing to sacrifice the chillness of the moment for trying to get to that goal.”

On being considered a ‘nepo baby’: “I truly believe that my spirit is a strong spirit and that, even if my parents weren’t who they were, I would still be a weirdo and a crazy thinker. I definitely think that a little bit of insecurity has driven me harder because people do think that the only reason I’m successful is because of my parents. That has driven me to work really hard to try to prove them wrong. But nowadays, I don’t need to prove shit to anybody.’”

On why she doesn’t fit the ‘nepo baby’ mold as a Black woman in America: “Being Black in America, even with privilege, which I’m never going to deny that I have, you’re still Black. And I love being Black. People would look at me and [say], ‘Okay, well, her parents are this and this and that, but she still is like me. She still has brown skin.’ And we all know that that doesn’t exempt you from anything, and that’s a place of connection.”

On being “scarred” by the refrain “I whip my hair back and forth” from her debut single “Whip My Hair:” “I was totally scarred. But so many Black girls and women were inspired by that. It’s about people relating to you and you being someone that they can look at and be like, ‘I see you. We are inspiring each other.’ When I look at women from all different walks of life, all different skin tones who are authentic to themselves and they see their beauty, that inspires me. And I’m inspiring them because I’m paying attention to them.”

Writer: Jessica Cruel
Photographer: Zhong Lin
Stylist: Shiona Turini
Hair: Vernon François
Makeup: Raoul Alejandre
Manicure: Emi Kudo

[Photo Credit:  Zhong Lin for Allure Magazine]

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