Since the release of Willow Smith’s recent punk-pop-infused single Transparent Soul, which in turn marked her sonic transition from rap warrior to fierce electric guitar star, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter has been known to favor one guitar in particular.
As seen in the track's music video, as well as her recent electrifying performance on The Tonight Show, Smith has solely sported a St. Vincent Ernie Ball Music Man signature for her six-string escapades so far.
However, thanks to the generosity of fellow guitar star Yvette Young, her arsenal of axes has just got even bigger, having been gifted a signature Ibanez YY10 by the fingerpicking powerhouse herself.
Smith wasted no time in putting the vibrant Slime Green Sparkle-finished model through its paces, and reeled off the upper-register lead line from Mac DeMarco’s Goodbye Weekend in a show of her ever-evolving picking powers.
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On Instagram, Smith said, “Ahhh! It’s finally here. Big thanks to Yvette Young for sending me one of her signature YY10 Ibanez guitars! It’s so much fun to play,” to which Young responded, “Omg you make it glow.”
It isn’t the first time the pair have linked up in recent months, having collaborated on Smith’s current St. Vincent model, which sports a solar-inspired, hand-crafted colorway designed by Young.
Smith’s own personalized take on the Annie Clark original comes equipped with a constellation-flavored colorway, and is one of several models to have received a cosmetic pick-me-up from the Covet guitar player's own guitar customization company.
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Who knows what will be next in Transparent Soul star's catalog of guitars? Perhaps there's room for a Willow Smith signature somewhere down the line...
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
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