WILLOW Talks New Album 'empathogen,' Reflects On "Whip My Hair" 10 Years Later & More | Billboard News

And there’s something to learn from that. You know what I’m saying? And it’s beautiful. Sometimes you don’t got to think about it. You just got to put it out there. I’m going to remember that. She’s looking at her. I’m going to remember that. Hey, I’m Willow, and this is Billboard News. Hey, it’s Tetris with Billboard News hanging out with someone who doesn’t really need an introduction. But hi Willow. How are you? I’m so good. I’m so happy to be here in time. I’m so excited about your new album. It’s out this week. You nervous? Oh my goodness. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for for a project to come out. I’m just. I can’t wait for people to hear it. And the title, I mean, love that and pathogen. So tell me the inspiration by why you wanted to name the album. Well, you know during the time that you know these songs were kind of coming into being and I was creating this concept for the album. I was learning a lot about indigenous plant medicine, another you know, name for these molecular compounds. These ancient molecular compounds are called empathogens, empathy and pathogens, pathogens that create empathy when you ingest them. And yeah, I just, I just thought that was a really beautiful explanation of, you know, kind of how I want to walk in the world, how I want to affect the space, when I enter the space. And I just thought that was a really cool name. And In Pathogen is your sixth solo album. First of all, how old are you? I’m 23. Who I got to get my life together 23, six albums out. Well, how is this project going to be different from everything else you’ve done? Wow. I truly believe that this album is my first grown up album. Obviously I’m still, you know, young, but I feel like I started making music so young that you always try to find yourself. You know what I’m saying? Like there’s never a moment in your life where you’re like this is me, you know what I’m saying? But there is a moment in your life where you realize what really matters to you and you realize the path, that no matter what changes the path that you’re always going to be on. And for me, that path is sharpening my musicianship. Sharpening, you know, my compassion and those 2GO hand in hand. And I feel like this album is the first album where like I’m on the same page with myself. Nice. And now that you’ve found yourself, how do you feel like you would describe the sound of the album? There’s a lot of funk elements, a lot of jazz elements. I would call it fusion, but you know, some of the fusion that I listen to can be extremely complicated and, you know, expanding, expanding on so many different horizons. I would say this is a little bit of a baby fusion, baby fusion, you know, a little baby fusion energy, but definitely a lot of jazz, definitely a lot of funk oddly enough. Some pretty big choruses. I wasn’t expecting that. Oh, OK some anthems in there. Yeah, totally. But kind of mixed with this a little bit more syncopated off timing kind of vibe that that I’m bringing to to some of these songs. And the way you describe the album, I can already tell you’re very, very involved in production, I’m sure. So tell me about the production process. When you create, it really matters to me who I work with. And sometimes you’ll be in a room with someone and you’ll be working on something for 3 1/2 hours. And this has happened to me. This actually happened to me with symptom of life. We were working on the chorus for hours and in the middle of it I was just like, we have to scrap this, bro. Like, I just don’t like this. Like we’ve literally been working on this for like the whole day and you just want to scrap this and I’m like, yeah, but then that’s where that beautiful chorus comes from with the with those base intervals and how it slides up. And yeah, that would have never happened if I would have just been like, Oh well we spent so long on this. Let me just, let’s just go with it. You had to start fresh 100%. And you’re talking about like you’re very careful about who you pick. So also some cool collaborators on this album, Saint Vincent, Jon Batiste. Why did you pick those artists first? With Saint Vincent and Jon Batiste? They both just have such brilliant minds. And personally, I feel like this new album and my just me coming into myself even more. Like these are the kind of people that I want to have around me. These are the kind of people that inspire me. These are the kind of people that stretch me to become not only the musician that I’ve always wanted to be, but the person that I’ve always wanted to be. The album’s out this weekend. You know people will know who you are as a musician now who’s somebody you will want to hear the project and be like oh Willow’s Dope and that kind of that dream collaborator. Oh my goodness. Napalm of hiatus Coyote David long stress of The Dirty projectors. I mean I could go on forever but but you know who knows hopefully hopefully one day. But this is a beautiful start to a journey for the that’s going to go for the rest of my life of just honouring the craft and honouring the lineage that I’m a part of. So I’m. I couldn’t be more grateful. And now let’s talk about the singles. So let’s talk about Alone, the vocals. Amazing on Alone. Tell me why that was the song you wanted to kick this era off with. Wow. So Alone has a lot of different elements to it. It has that 54 groove for a little bit, which is, which is a little bit off kilter. It’s not something that you hear very often. But then it breaks down into this like Rocky section and it’s so good in that pocket, by the way. Thank you. Thank you so much. I wanted to kind of create a bridge between what this album is going to sound like and what I’ve done in the past and you know, doing a kind of a different odd time signature and using my vocals in a different way, But also giving that big kind of guitar, big guitar section, belting section. I felt like it was just a really nice bridge. I felt like it was a good bridge and that’s musically, but also lyrically. I mean the song is very vulnerable. So how was it to like write from like a personal space? I had a lot of practice doing that on coping mechanism. I feel like alone is different from coping mechanism because coping mechanism was very outward. Like, lyrically the the energy was very like outward. But alone felt very inward. Like I wasn’t looking at the world and critiquing it. You know what I’m saying? And being like, this is what I don’t like. And you did that to me. And it’s more about like, damn, like, how do I feel when no one’s around? What are the things that, you know? What are the things that scare me? What are the things that bring me joy? And yeah, it was that song is really special to me. What I think I love talking to you about is that you sound like you’re still a student. Like, you’re always, like, anxious to learn. Of course. I definitely feel like the day that I die will be another big learning, big learning lesson. Everything, you know what I’m saying? We’re finding things out every day of our life. We never arrive. That’s why this album for me doesn’t feel like I’m arriving somewhere. It feels like I’m settling into an A path that I’ve always wanted to find and I always knew was there. But now I’m just trusting that like, Oh no, this is the path. Like, cool. Like, there’s no question in my mind of like, I’m just going to be walking this path forever. Yes. And let’s talk about the visuals for Alone. How was it to be in the creative process of that? Man, you know I’m always so focused on the music and I’m always so focused on the lyrics. Everything that that goes into making a composition and so sometimes other things fall by the wayside. That’s so interesting that you say that because obviously I think your aesthetic and your look is like so interesting that I would think like that’s like top tier and where you’re in your first thoughts and now it’s going to be it’s about to be. I feel like this I I did a really good job with this specific roll out and just the art that you know surrounds the music. But in the past, I feel like I definitely could have been a little bit more focused on that and not so obsessed with like just the music, but the music is the thing. You know what I’m saying? But yeah, this, this process, these visuals, it was a way more of like, OK, let me really hunker down and be obsessed with this for a little bit. And I’m glad. And I’m going to continue doing that because it really matters, the symptom of life. Tell me why That was the next one. We had that 54 groove in alone and, you know, still gave you big guitars, big vocals. But for Symptom of Life, we’re kind of going deeper into this. Like now the song is in seven, you know what I’m saying? Now we’re in a now we’re in a little bit of a weirder time signature. Now we’re bringing in pianos. It’s just kind of easing myself and also others into this, like just a little bit of a new vibe. You know what I’m saying? Even though I personally feel like if you listen to Coping Mechanism and listen to this album, you’ll see similarities and you’ll see like, ah, like specific rhythms and specific chord changes. Like it doesn’t matter what genre you’re playing. Music is music and I feel like that connection is strong and so people have heard alone and symptom of life. When you think about the album as a whole, do you feel like they properly kind of take you in the direction or what else can people expect? I think people can definitely expect to be surprised like how Coping Mechanism kind of brought you inward to like, express yourself this way. I feel like this album is going to bring you inward so that you can like, really just be more present with every single moment. I feel like with Coping Mechanism, it was about escaping the whole album. I mean, it’s called Coping Mechanism, you know what I’m saying? It’s like I’m trying to escape this emotion. I’m trying to escape this. And this album is really about just being where you are. And I hope that people can feel that. I feel like I’m learning so much from you in this conversation. I’m like, girl preach to me, girl tell me things. Let’s rewind a little bit. So let’s go 10 years ago to whip my hair. I don’t remember anything from when I was 10. So do you ever remember that time and kind of going through all of it? I do. I really, really do. I really do. There were a lot of fun things about it. Now. Now, as an adult, I’m like, I feel like it. When I was a teenager, I was very, like, no, like trauma. Like, I’m feeling suss. And there were things that hurt me and things I don’t understand. And now I’m like, OK, yeah, obviously there are things that hurt you and things that you don’t understand. But overall, my message hasn’t really changed. Like, whip my hair is like, be yourself, live out loud, don’t care what anybody thinks, express yourself. That hasn’t really changed. Oh, I love that. So I really feel like with my hair is just a foundation for everything that has come later. You know what I’m saying? Do you remember like filming the video? It was so fun. It was, it was crazy. I remember the specific kind of paint that we had that might have been like a weird latex based paint or whatever, but after the shoot I had it all over my body bro. And I had to peel that shit off of me. Dude, it wasn’t the kind of, it wasn’t the kind of thing that was like you you wipe it off. It was like, I don’t know, it was, it was, it was like, AI. Don’t know, bro. It was strange. It was weird. Still, to this day I’m like, I have no idea. I need to try to find out what kind of paint that was. It was a lot of fun. And I am so grateful. I would never take it back. Now thinking about now, do you are you grateful that kind of your start, your introduction to the world as you will, was musically based. Yeah. I mean, I’ve tried to run away from it. I’ve tried to be like, no, I’m not a musician. I’m going to do something else. And then and guess what? It just keeps on coming back out the door. And so that’s how you know, like something is really important to you. If it causes you pain and discomfort and you’re still wanting to do it, you know, that’s like, OK, like, I trust that inner drive. You know, even through the discomfort, you’re like, I got to stick with this. How do you feel? Like it would have been different. Releasing music at 10 now that there’s TikTok. Now that there’s social media like I feel like whip my hair would have went in a whole different direction if that was the round. Yeah, I yeah, I I honestly can’t even really imagine it but it would probably be, I mean lit. It would probably be lit. I agree. I, I, I thinking about it is actually kind of interesting, you know, and you didn’t have another viral moment like jump off real big. Meet me at our spot. So tell me about like did that kind of come out of nowhere for you and how amazing was it to be to get all that great feedback. I never would have guessed. I never would have guessed that people would have liked that song so much. And then me it hit girl, it really hit people, really felt it. And I feel like the reason why people really felt it was because the song was written by two best friends talking about some shit that they do every day, let alone when one person is being honest. But when two people are being honest, you know what I’m saying? That’s like, how can you not feel that? I feel like I was confused about it before because I put a lot of thought into compositions and chord progressions, and that song was just a fun thing to do randomly. And there’s something to learn from that, you know what I’m saying? And yeah, it’s it’s it’s beautiful. Sometimes you don’t got to think about it. You just got to put it out there. I’m going to remember that she’s looking at her. I’m going to remember that. And then you talk about writing a song with your best friend. What about writing with your family? You Jane’s a musician, you guys have worked together. So how was it to kind of share influences with him? I just love him so much. And being able to share a purpose with someone so close to you that shares your blood in your veins like that, there’s there’s nothing better. There’s really, there’s really nothing better than that to be able to act on our purpose together. Like that’s what life is about, you know? I’m hoping we have more music in the future. I’m hoping that’s what I was going to ask. I mean, you guys worked together on this last project, so there’s got to be something. There’s there’s things in the works. There’s things, there’s things bubbling up. I’ll let him express more about that. What’s your discovery process like? Like, how do you feel like you found artists? Was it family playing stuff around the house? You kind of did your own digging. My mom, 100%. My mom, she would always just be like, you’re going to like this. Let’s take a listen to that. Like Little Dragon Gold frap. You know, all of that with female musicians who were so unique and eclectic. My first foundation of music that I listened to was all for my mom. When I stopped making music, I I was in a ballet company for a little bit, and then the only thing I was listening to was classical music for like two or three years. Yeah, it was, it was interesting, really, really cool. And how do you feel like all of those, like, people that have inspired you have shaped you to who you are today? I feel like the courage of all of the musicians who have come before me who have done something that was different or that people didn’t expect or that people thought was weird at first or that people, like, shunned, shunned them for. I feel like that like soul spark inside or that flame that’s that thing that just carries on, you know, that’s the real inspiration. It doesn’t matter what the genre is. It doesn’t matter if they’re a man or a woman or whatever. It’s that soul spark that like flame inside of them that makes you go, Oh my God, like, I could ignite that inside of me. I could help people ignite that inside of themselves. Like, I want to, you know what I’m saying? And so that for me is is the most important, intriguing part of it all. And then of course we’re talking about your beautiful music, but we have other things to talk about as well. You wrote a book. I did write a book. So talk to you about Black Shell made it out May 7th. Yeah, yeah, I wrote a book six years of the making. I’m just a nerd. Like, I I just love getting into the most random esoteric off kilter things. A story about an African Viking is just that. Who would ever expect that? Well now I want to know when you approach like your friends or your family, like what do they think when Willow comes up to them? He’s like, guess what? I’m writing this book and this is what it’s about. They’re like sounds about right. They’re like last week you were talking about you were talking about anthropology and going to school to be an anthropologist. It makes sense that you would be talking about this. I think my friends and my family just, they just know me. They just know all of my weird quirks and all the things that I, you know, love to read about and pontificate about randomly. So I don’t think it was a huge surprise. And I mean, you’re touching on a lot of topics here. So Scandinavian African history, why were those things that you wanted to tap on in this book? It’s so interesting. While I was in the process of writing the book, I realized I need to do some research about West African mythology. I need to do some research about, you know, during the specific time period. And like I hadn’t learned about that. You don’t learn about that in school, you know what I’m saying? So I was going around to all of these different, all these different bookstores, trying to find books on this specific time period in West Africa. And I really just, I I I had a hard time finding finding literature that’s crazy to me. And and so I went to my parents and they were like, yo, we have a library and we have a bunch of books on this. And I was like score. I’ve been going around everywhere trying to find and now I’m in my home and this is where I could have found it all along. So that was a deep lesson to me. And I’m so grateful to my parents because I would have been like, I don’t have the information to write this book. And also big shout out to to my beautiful friend Jess Hendell, who has an amazing historical mind and creative mind. And, you know, us coming together really made this book like exactly what it needed to be. You talk about your girl. We’ve spoken about that a lot today. When people have, like, figured out they know who you are, know who your family are, they kind of already have these preconceived notions. Who would you say is Willow? How would you want to describe yourself? I would say Willow is at at her highest potential what she could be. At her highest potential is a very pure reflection of the unconditional love that holds everything together. I am everyday working. I just want to be a servant of love in everything that I do. And I definitely think that this album is me trying to be a servant of love through music. And this book is me trying to be a servant of love through writing. And this, this interview is me trying to be a servant of love. Through talking to you. It all kind of connects. Servant of love, unconditional love. That’s so beautiful. Thanks so much for hanging out today, Willow. Thanks. Thank you so much.