“It could have been Jimi Hendrix, could have been all these other things, but weirdly enough, no”: Willow Smith reveals the unassuming album – and actor – that inspired her to pick up the guitar

Family legacy aside, it’s safe to say that Willow has evolved into a bona fide boundary-pushing artist who seamlessly flits between genres, both across and within records. In 2021, her single Transparent Soul turned heads not only for its pop-punk energy, but also because Willow was very much in her electric guitar-wielding era.

Fast forward four years, and through her subsequent albums, Willow has shown that the instrument remains an integral part of her core sonic palette. However, as she reveals in a new interview with Rick Beato, her guitar journey started long before that career-defining single.

“Everyone always is like, ‘This is so ridiculous. Why did this inspire you?’ Could have been Jimi Hendrix. Could have been all these other things. But weirdly enough, no. It was a Michael Cera album,” she confesses.

“Michael Cera is mainly an actor. But I listened to this Michael Cera album [2014’s true that], and it’s all just him playing acoustic guitar, and it’s very DIY. And I was like, ‘Why does this make me feel like I want to go get an acoustic guitar right now and just go for it?’ And so around 14, that’s what I did. And I’ve been playing guitar ever since.”

Another artist who served – and continues to serve – as a source of inspiration for Willow is none other than St. Vincent, with whom she collaborated on her empathogen (2024) highlight, pain for fun.

“She’s very gear-oriented. She knows exactly what’s gonna make a sound [and] the machinery. I’m just very organic when it comes to [the studio],” she adds.

And, following in St. Vincent’s footsteps, Willow can often be seen wielding the All Born Screaming guitarist’s signature model – a conscious choice that, as she described in a 2022 Guitar World interview – was born partly out of her admiration for the guitarist.

“I have to start by being honest and saying I love St. Vincent. She’s one of my favorite musicians ever. The guitar is super-sleek and light, plus the action is low, which I love. It is very easy to move with and play. I feel like a lot of guitars are a bit harder to dance and move with.”

She continued, “The St. Vincent signature is so comfortable in that sense. It’s such an inspiring guitar to play, even more so because I know it’s one she designed. She is one of my idols still to this day.”

Speaking of St. Vincent and unassuming inspirations, the guitarist recently revealed which retro entry-level guitar served as the original template for her Ernie Ball Music Man signature model.