“She looks like a Goddess or one of those ancient deities,” said the man sitting next to me Friday night at the Ford Theater. The night belonged to WILLOW; not even the World Series could take that from her. She is no longer just the daughter and sister of Hollywood royalty but a musical prodigy with something to say, a craft to continue polishing, and an experimental voice to share.
Accompanied by the Color of Noize Orchestra, directed by Derrick Hodge, and supported by the Rhode Island-based sci-fi-experimental rock band Arc Iris, WILLOW gave one of the best performances I’ve seen all year.
If you haven’t checked in with WILLOW’s music since her self-proclaimed “oldies and goodies” singles, i.e., “Transparent Soul,” “Female Energy, Pt.2,” or even “Wait a Minute!,” you are missing out on one of the brightest voices of Gen-Z.
Hearing an orchestral rendition of 10 of the 15 songs on her most recent jazz-influenced album, Ceremonial Contrafact (Empathogen Deluxe), the part of me that enjoys crate-digging through old vinyl exhaled a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t stop moving and grooving when she walked out of the yellow stage doors with her acoustic guitar in hand, singing “home/ i know that face.” Everything was so funky. The syncopated rhythms were so complex that the oval-shaped arena wanted more with every crescendo.
I can’t believe how underrated she is. Her stage presence, vocal projection, elegance, and ability to be one with the music truly had me at a loss for words. When WILLOW sang “To You,” with its haunting piano accompaniment mixed with the trumpet solo surrounded by the night sky, I had to say, “Wow, I feel the spirit of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday up and down this moment.” Incredible.
If you are waiting for a “Whip My Hair” resurgence, sorry. WILLOW is lightyears beyond that young person. While still fun and bouncy, she sang with the maturity of an “ancient girl” in the modern world with “b i g f e e l i n g s. ” She is one of those ones, as the kids would say. It was an incredible performance by a fantastic artist.
Photos & Words by Asha Moné
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