Will Smith's daughter Willow performs Janmashtami aarti, debuts new track Govinda Nights; offers a glimpse into her spiritual journey

Indian Express

6 hours ago

Willow Smith, daughter of Hollywood A-listers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, recently took to Instagram to celebrate her feature on Govinda Nights. Released on Janmashtami by artist Londrelle, the track is now streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. Alongside a string of photos capturing the moment, Willow shared a heartfelt caption expressing her gratitude.
Willow, a practicing Hindu who has openly shared her spiritual journey on social media, is an American singer and actor like her parents. The photos show her fully immersed in the spiritual atmosphere, performing aarti at ISKCON, with a scarf over her head and Vaishnav tika on her forehead, following traditional Hindu rituals.
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One slide captures her chanting bag alongside a guitar, hinting at her journey of blending devotional practice with contemporary music. In another, she poses in front of a Radha-Krishna image. Willow also shares her thoughts on sound and spirituality, describing the 'signature patterns of vibration' in one slide, while another captures a live bhajan session. The final slide reveals the cover of the Govinda Nights album.
'
🌕 OUT NOW !! THANK YOU @londrelle FOR FEATURING ME ON THIS MUSICAL OFFERING !! MY GRATITUDE IS INFINITE 🌀HAPPY JANMASTAMI,' she captioned the post.
A post shared by ∴ W ∴ (@willowsmith)
Govinda Nights continues Willow's journey in spiritual music, following her collaborations with Jahnavi Harrison on Sanskrit mantras. The duo previously teamed up for the EP R I S E and the single Surrender (Krishna Keshava) after meeting at a Kirtan event hosted by Jay Shetty. While Willow follows Hinduism, her father, Will Smith, stated in a 2013 interview that he prefers not to be associated with any religious group. Her mother, Jada Pinkett, had expressed interest in the general teachings of Scientology. In her book, she wrote, 'I was very clear when I stepped into the Church of Scientology that becoming a member would not be possible, nor was it my goal,' adding that she appreciated the Basic Study Manual while homeschooling her kids, Jaden and Willow Smith.
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Willow's post comes days after she worried fans with a raw, tearful selfie on Instagram. Staring into the distance, she paired the photo with an explicit caption. Some saw it as a joke, but many questioned her well-being. The post also reignited conversations about her sexuality. She came out as bisexual in 2019 and revealed in 2021 that she is polyamorous, open to more than one relationship. On Red Table Talk, she said she would likely limit herself to two partners and avoid traditional marriage, calling it restrictive for women. Earlier this year, on Instagram Live, she shared that watching animals taught her new ways of connecting, beyond human-imposed gender roles.