Well, quite the setback for Willow fans. The pop-punk sensation has officially dropped out of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” tour.
Who is Willow?
Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is a 21 year old singer who has become a sensation over the past few years. Willow has earned her success in the early 2000’s, like “Whip My Hair” and “I Am Legend.” But recently, she has become a TikTok sellout with her songs “Meet Me At Our Spot” (ft. The Anxiety) and “Transparent Soul” (ft. Travis Barker). All of which she was set to perform at Billie EIlish’s “Happier Than Ever” tour, beginning with a Buffalo show this weekend.
Happier Than Ever Tour
Billie Eilish released tour dates on May 21st, following with the performers going on tour with her. 21-year-old Willow was one of these performers. Other performers include Tkay Maidza, Duckwrth, Jessie Reyez, Jungle, Arlo Parks, and Girl in Red. And, as far as we know, there were no setbacks until just recently.
Pulling out of the Performance
On February 8th, 2022, Willow took to social media to announce the news:
Willow was originally set to tour with Eilish on 11 different North America dates. Although, after this announcement, fans were left to wonder and panic what exactly happened. And ticket holders pondered: what possibly could have happened?
Is she being replaced?
Billie Eilish was able to bring a close friend and rising artist, Dora Jar, a 24-year-old California singer-songwriter. She has a mix of folk-rock, bedroom pop, grunge, and trip-hop style to her music.
Success is undeniable
Although this sounds crazy, this doesn’t undermine the artist’s success. Despite dropping out of the tour with Eilish, Willow has done plenty to earn her achievements. For instance, Willow has collaborated with multiple other artists. These artists include Machine Gun Kelly on “Emo Girl,” and Avril Lavigne on “Grow.” She also sat down with her partner on “Transparent Soul,” Travis Barker, in a joint interview to discuss the rise of pop punk. Not to mention that Willow is the 2021 Comeback Artist Of the Year according to Billboard.
Valid reasoning
Willow is a star in any terms. The artist has achieved so much while staying true to her “core artistry” as J’na Jefferson from the Billboard Panel put it. And no matter where she goes, I’m sure she will be successful on every road she takes. She has chosen to step back from the tour, but I don’t believe that undermines her goals and achievements whatsoever. Her decision is valid and, for whatever the reason, I’m sure the star had her good reasons.
Willow’s Career
We are waiting back to hear about what Eilish does next in her tour. So far, she has yet to respond to Willow’s announcement and is staying quiet. Whether Willow is replaced or not, I’m sure the show will be fantastic. Meanwhile, Willow and MGK have dropped their single “Emo Girl,” watching the streams pile up. Along with that, Willow has also published a novel by the name “Black Shield Maiden.” Either way, both Willow’s and Eilish’s success is undeniable. As the two part ways, we wish them both the best.
