Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair” Video: The Deeper Meaning

We know your necks are sore from trying to emulate the dancers in the “Whip My Hair” video, so here’s a reason to give it a rest for a few minutes. Those craving a sneak peek behind the scenes of Willow Smith’s colossal debut are in luck: the pint-sized diva, appearing along with dad Will and mom Jada, has released a clip to explain the deep lyrical nuances we might not have picked up on. Whew! Check it out here.

Co-founder of Roc Nation Jay Brown puts it this way: “What separates Willow from everyone else is that she’s an individual.” (Not to mention what really sets her apart — at the age we were all learning square roots, Willow Smith will be touring with Justin Bieber.) Along with depicting Smith getting dolled up in metallic makeup, a heart-shaped ‘do, and a pretty extreme manicure, the video also lets Willow and Will wax poetic on the meaning behind the lyrics. “Whip My Hair means don’t be afraid to be an individual,” says the festive peppermint-tressed singer, while Will chimes in: “You have to be okay to be yourself even when other people tell you it’s wrong.” That’s a great message — even though it’s probably way easier for a kid to “be herself” once she’s been acclaimed as one of the Entertainers Of The Year by Entertainment Weekly.

That said, it is fun to watch the young star get involved in the artistic process of making a video — and lest we think her star status has gone to her small head, she even chips in to help paint the set at one point! That’s a move we’re not likely to see from Ke$ha. Certainly this Ray Kay-directed video has more originality and personality than many by artists twice (or even five times) her age — so when it comes to Willow Smith, we’ll take all the individuality we can get.