Willow Goes Full Screamo in Self-Directed ‘Purge’ Video
Willow has released a heavy new single, “Purge,” along with music video directed by the singer herself. In the clip, Willow and her collaborator Siiickbrain get tattooed, smoke cigarettes, writhe around in cars and generally smash things up.
The screamo-tinged single is Willow’s most aggressive track to date, with lyrics reflecting her newfound edginess. “I like to ignore all the pain,” she howls on the song. “I can’t take it/The darkness it melts it away.”
While Willow likely filmed the music video before the Oscars, it’s hard to ignore how much it showcases both her and Siiickbrain’s shaven heads. Releasing the video after the incident at the awards show — where Will Smith defended wife Jada Pinkett Smith by slapping Chris Rock after the comedian joked about her hair loss — feels like pointed statement from the singer.
In February, Willow teamed up with Machine Gun Kelly for “Emo Girl,” a Warped Tour-inspired paean off MGK’s latest album, Mainstream Sellout. The pair are set to tour together this summer in North America. Willow will also perform at Reading and Leeds festivals in the U.K. in August.