Willow Smith found herself at the center of online ridicule after taking the stage at the Blue Note Jazz Club in Los Angeles earlier this week.
From her vocal delivery to her movements and facial expressions, viewers found plenty to criticize, with some dismissing her as another nepo kid benefiting from her family's fame.
“If not for being the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, this person would not be standing in front of a microphone at any club,” one netizen argued.
Highlights
- Willow Smith's performance at a recent show had critics calling her an undeserving nepo kid.
- Fans defended the singer against the criticism, arguing that her experimental jazz style was misunderstood.
- Willow previously admitted that nepotism accusations fueled her insecurities but also pushed her to work harder.
An earlier clip of Willow's performance also resurfaced amid the backlash, attracting reactions that echoed some of the criticism surrounding her latest appearance.
Willow Smith's latest musical performance left netizens unimpressed
Willow showcased her new album, The Thread, during her October 12 LA show.
Dressed in a shimmering gold dress, the singer stood at the microphone, enthusiastically bobbing her head and moving her body while using hand gestures to emphasize the highs and lows of the notes.
Her facial expressions were equally animated, with her forehead scrunching and eyes closing at various points.
While it remains unclear how in-person attendees reacted, social media users were distinctly unimpressed.
“I have no idea what I just watched — not only is it weird, it's almost all the vocals are recorded and not hers,” one critic wrote.
“You watched an auto-tuned, talentless little t*at who only got a record contract because of her parents,” a second remarked.
“I hope those body movements were not contagious,” mocked a third.
“Not being told no ever in your life gives you the kind of confidence that was shown here,” another user asserted.
Several others expressed satisfaction at the idea of celebrity children being “hated these days,” claiming the backlash made them “irrelevant.”
They encouraged people to continue boycotting them until they faded from the spotlight.
However, Willow was not without supporters amid the criticism.
Fans dismissed Willow's critics as incapable of understanding progressive music
“It's someone performing a song; what's not to get? It's a much more interesting song than most of what's popular at the moment, so what's the problem?” one X user asked.
“Y'all are f**king haters who will listen to Taylor’s swift’s 1-2 buckle my shoe a** music,” another fumed.
“It's called experimental jazz, and she's actually decent,” a third explained, while a fourth went as far as declaring Willow the “future of music.”
The singer was soon compared to some of the most unconventional musical talents of previous decades.
“Yoko Ono, 2026,” one person wrote.
“Does no one remember Ian Curtis? Geez people. Singers feel the music differently than listeners. As it always has been,” another added.
The Los Angeles performance was not the first time Willow had divided the internet.
Willow also drew mixed reactions for her closing song at a New York show last week
Willow performed in support of The Thread at New York City's Sony Hall on October 6 and 7.
During the encore and concert finale on the latter date, though, she surprised the audience with a rendition of her 2015 hit, Wait a Minute.
Her movements and expressions puzzled netizens then too, leading one person to write, “She got the mannerisms of a 40-year-old auntie after she been drinking at the cookout.”
“She acts like an old witch doctor in Africa,” another quipped.
Some viewers, however, interpreted the singer's mannerisms as a sign of her free-spirited personality.
“She's a vibe, bruh,” one said.
“That's some real energy in that room,” another added.
Willow Smith previously said the nepotism discourse surrounding her has pushed her to prove herself further
Willow was just nine years old when she released her debut single, Whip My Hair, in 2010.
The song peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100. She was subsequently signed by Jay-Z to his label, Roc Nation, becoming the youngest artist ever signed to the imprint.
Ever since, her music has evolved to incorporate experimental electronic and R&B sounds alongside organic folk, indie, and psychedelic influences.
In a May 2023 cover story for Allure, Willow acknowledged that accusations of nepotism had made her feel somewhat insecure. However, she added, “I definitely think that a little bit of insecurity has driven me harder.”
The singer also discussed how she had come to terms with her hang-ups and “negativity from the outside.”
She said she believes she would “still be a weird and a crazy thinker” even if her parents were not celebrities.
"Horrible imitation of what used to be called avant garde," a detractor said about Willow's performances
