While many of us struggle with the fear, anger, and uncertainty brought on by the 2016 election results, Willow Smith has offered a simple yet powerful message of hope.
Over the weekend, the 16-year-old actress/songstress released a new track aptly titled “November 9th,” in which she encourages her listeners to never give up or succumb to fear.
“Baby girl, I know you're tired/Don't let the world put out your fire/Take my hand and you will see/Sadness and anger aren't everything,” she sings over a stripped-down guitar accompaniment. “Baby boy don't lose your sweetness/Don't think your humanity equals weakness/Take my hand and you shall see/Suppression and pain are not everything.”
Though the track is short, it’s incredibly encouraging. Willow released the self-produced song on SoundCloud and captioned it: “I wrote this song on the day of the election. Peace and revelations to all!”
The release comes shortly after Willow joined her older brother Jaden in a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. It’s unclear if the cut will be featured on a larger project—perhaps the follow-up to her 2015 debut solo album, Ardipithecus. What we do know, however, is that Willow will make an appearance on Kid Cudi’s upcoming record, Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin'.
While we wait to see what's next from the artist, you can listen to "November 9th” below.
