Whip My Hair

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"Whip My Hair"
Single by Willow
ReleasedOctober 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
RecordedWillow Smith's home, Calabasas, California
Genre
Length3:16
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Ronald Jackson
  • Janae Ratliff
Producer(s)
  • Jukebox & Obanga
  • Tim Carter
Willow singles chronology
"Whip My Hair"
(2010) 		"
21st Century Girl
"
(2011)

"Whip My Hair" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Willow Smith, released in 2010 under the name Willow. The song was written by Ronald "Jukebox" Jackson and Janae Liann Ratliff, and produced by Ronald Jackson.[1] "Whip My Hair" peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Whip My Hair" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Belgium (Wallonia), Denmark, and the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top 20 of the charts in Australia, Canada, and Ireland.

Background

In the summer of 2010, Smith's mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, revealed on Lopez Tonight that her daughter was recording an album.[2] On September 27, 2010, Smith's single was leaked onto the Internet.[3][4] Time magazine, CNN, and Billboard each featured the song the evening it surfaced.[5][6][7] Several celebrities applauded the new single on Twitter, including Ciara, Brandy, Solange Knowles, Britney Spears, and Alfredo Flores.[8]

Composition

"...it means just be an individual. Like, you can't be afraid to be yourself, you have to be yourself, and you can't let anyone tell you that that's wrong."

—Willow Smith on the lyrics of "Whip My Hair"[9]

Lyrically the song is about letting loose, being as wild as can be, while she asks ladies to "whip their hair" and "shake haters off".[10][11] The lyrics have motivational undertones, speaking of self-love and assurance, and referring to letting your hair down as a representation of this in parts like the line, "Keep fighting until I get there, when I'm down and I feel like giving up/I whip my hair back and forth, I whip it, I whip it real good."[12]

"Whip My Hair"
A sample of the song, featuring the line, "Don't let haters keep me off my grind."
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Whip My Hair" is a high-tempo R&B

auto-tuned in some parts,[11] while containing keyboard washes over a drum-heavy[5] beat described as "propulsive" and "futuristic".[15] The song features a knocking beat, including the vocal refrain of "I whip my hair back and forth". Some critics have deemed the song too similar to Smith's musical influence Rihanna.[5] Additionally, others said the song was similar to the style of Rihanna contemporaries Ciara and Keri Hilson,[8] with a hip hop feel similar to Lil Mama.[16] Gina Serpe of E! Online called the track a fourth-grade version of Rihanna and Hilson.[2]

Critical reception

According to critics, the song took influence from a number of other artists, namely Rihanna (pictured). Comparisons to Rihanna earned Smith the nickname "Baby Rihanna" after the song's leak.

Critics noted the song's universal appeal, with Gerrick Kennedy of

BET Sound Off blog commented that Smith had more personality on the track than fellow artists three times her age.[14] Melinda Newman of HitFix complimented Smith's "competent" singing voice.[18]

Chart performance

Prior to its appearance on radio, the song received recognition on the US

The Black Eyed Peas with "The Time (Dirty Bit)".[27]

Music video

Background and release

Smith filmed the song's accompanying music video in Los Angeles the week of September 20, 2010.

Poker Face" and Justin Bieber's "Baby", directed the clip.[28] In an interview with Rap-Up, Kay said "I'm certain people that are watching the video will feel inspired to develop their own individuality and freedom and express their own art after seeing Willow in this video."[28] Kay also confirmed that the shooting would take two days, and require a lot from Smith, although the director was confident that Smith would "kill it" in front of the camera.[28][29] Later, Kay commented to Rap-Up in a separate piece, "I think this video will be considered iconic in the future. Willow is definitely here to stay, she's a superstar. I think we managed to create a fresh expression using Willow's amazing energy, a positive and inspiring concept, and mixing the colors of the sets with Willow's fashion, which consisted of custom-made clothing and exclusive One Z jumpsuits. She's a trendsetter already and I'm sure others will be copying her style soon!"[30]

A teaser video released on September 16, 2010 received 1.2 million views prior to the release of the official music video. The video premiered on October 18, 2010, with Vevo hosting its online premiere, and the song featured during Smith's appearance on 106 & Park.[31] Before the video received its official premieres, it was leaked online, though RocNation removed all unauthorized clips. A day after release, the video had reportedly garnered over 100,000 views on YouTube.[32]

Synopsis

The video begins in a futuristic cafeteria with kids, dubbed the "Warriorettes",[33] sitting down at grey tables in white clothing.[34] Smith enters the room in colorful attire (including a blue vest, orange pants and a belt with her name on it, rhinestones on her lips and extravagant nail tips).[35] With her braids shaped to form a heart, she turns on a boombox which is filled with paint, while undoing her braids and dipping them into paint inside the stereo. She uses her hair as a paintbrush, bringing colour to the drab room.[34] Smith begins dancing and the other children join her, which is intercut with the singer donning a colourful mohawk and performing choreography with dancers with blue shirts in front of a light blue backdrop. She alternates different hairstyles, walking down a hallway with her backup dancers. Willow 'whips' her hair to give colour to the lockers and the students' attire, before performing choreography with the hallway students. Midway, Smith and her dancers perform a dance routine with music not in the original song. The last scenes shows Smith, wearing puff braids and a yellow jumpsuit, trying to get her backup singers to dance in a classroom, which is intercut with more paint-splashing scenes as the dancers, including her brother Jaden and actor Cameron Boyce,[36] teachers, the janitor, an elderly lady, and a toddler dance.[34] A writer for Rap-Up said that Smith "is in a class of her own in the breakout video for her empowering anthem", calling the video "the birth of more B.S.".[30]

Reception

Natalie Finn of

The New York Post reviewed the video positively, stating that "director Ray Kay kept it very young and colorful, the complete opposite of the very grown up sounding track."[39]

A writer for

Idolator said that Willow, in the video, "has transcended from Jada and Will Smith's 9-year-old kiddo to a legitimate star", noting, "the killer outfits, fun classroom dance pieces and, yes, tons of hair whipping -- with paint!"[40] A Celebuzz writer said that Smith "kills it with some seriously fierce bling, dance moves and, of course, intense hair whipping".[41] Melinda Newman of HitFix commented, "As Miley Cyrus gets ready to become an adult, we can fill that spot with Willow", complimenting her charisma and her "full-blown teen" attitude.[18]

Matt Cherrete and Chris Ryan of

NAACP Image Awards respectively.[47][48]

Live performances

Smith performed the song for the first time live on November 2, 2010 on

White House Easter Egg Roll.[53] She also performed the song as an opening act on the United Kingdom leg of Justin Bieber's My World Tour.[54]

In 2021, Smith debuted a punk version of the song, and had her head shaved while performing it live on stage.[55]

Cultural impact

In September 2010, a fan-made mash-up of the video and a Sesame Street segment appeared online. The original Sesame Street clip featured a puppet portrayed as a young black girl proud of her hair. She flails her braids, cornrows, afro, and other Black hairstyles.[46] According to the show's writer, Joey Mazzarino, the song was a tribute to his Ethiopian daughter's hair, writing it, stating that he wanted to say, "Your hair is great. You can put it in ponytails. You can put it in cornrows. I wish I had hair like you." The mash-up uses different shots in the show's segment paired with "Whip My Hair" to act as a music video. During the week of release of the "Whip My Hair" video, the Sesame Street clip also went viral. Veronica Miller of NPR commented that through both clips, "little black girls [were] having the best week ever", noting the rarity that "little African-American girls are publicly celebrated for their uniqueness and beauty", due to non-positive comments about their physical appearance, making them question individual and collective beauty.[46] On the single's video, Miller said, "Little Willow is operating with a sort of empowerment that grown women can sense, admire, and in some cases, envy", stating, "not many girls are taught that it's OK to openly love and affirm yourself."[46] Noting that the norm is not to be "sassy" or "cute", she said that "Whip My Hair" is "a celebration of little girls celebrating themselves".[46]

In 2013, the song was used as a "lip-sync for your life" song on the

fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, during the seventh episode "RuPaul Roast". Contestants Alyssa Edwards and Roxxxy Andrews were in the bottom two after failing the challenge. After a double wig trick from Andrews, an energetic performance from Edwards and an emotional breakdown from Andrews, both contestants were saved from elimination. RuPaul has gone on to say that this performance was his favorite lip-sync ever.[56]

Track listing
  1. "Whip My Hair" – 3:16
  2. "Whip My Hair" (Remix) ft. Nicki Minaj - 3:27
  • UK digital download[58]
  1. "Whip My Hair" – 3:13
  2. "Whip My Hair" (music video) – 3:54
  • EP – digital download[59]
  1. "Whip My Hair" – 3:13
  2. "Whip My Hair" (Warriorettes Mix) – 3:17
  3. "Whip My Hair" (music video) – 3:54
  • German CD single[60]
  1. "Whip My Hair" (album version) – 3:13
  2. "Whip My Hair" (Warriorettes Mix) – 3:17

Charts and certifications

Release history

Region Date Format
United States September 21, 2010
Urban airplay[89]
October 12, 2010 Mainstream airplay[90]
October 26, 2010 Digital download[57]
United Kingdom December 5, 2010 Digital download[91]
December 6, 2010 CD single[91]
Germany January 14, 2011 CD single[60]

References

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