If you thought Justin Bieber was getting an early start and that Jaden Smith set a new standard for grabbing an early jump on fame, then you'll be absolutely blown away by Willow Smith. She's the nine-year-old (she turns 10 on Halloween) daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and she is also the latest acquisition for Jay-Z's Roc Nation label. Her first single "Whip My Hair" has been making the rounds on radio and across the Internet (and has already inspired a "Sesame Street" mash-up, the only clear indication of success in 2010), and yesterday she unveiled the video that goes along with the song.
Directed by Norwegian photographer Ray Kay (who has overseen clips like Justin Bieber's "Baby" and Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"), "Whip My Hair" is a refreshingly kinetic, stylistically fascinating clip that does a good job matching the song's frenetic pace and twitchy beat (produced by newcomer Jukebox, who will undoubtedly be the most in-demand producer in music in the coming months). The video opens on an all-white school cafeteria (it's art directed to look like a room from George Lucas' "THX 1138") that is interrupted by the feisty Smith (with her long hair done up in the shape of a heart). With the help of some paint, she begins to literally whip her hair around and add color to her drab surroundings. In the clip's key scene, she's in an all white room that slowly becomes more and more covered in blasts of color as her hair whipping becomes more and more intense.
It's a good start for Smith, whose brother also made his pop debut with a duet with Justin Bieber earlier this summer.
What do you think of Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" video? Let us know in the comments!